Firefly Props and Merchandise

Na1mo2 Guan1shi4yin1 Pu2sa4; Hu4shen1fu2; Yi1sheng1 Ping2an1

• Simplified characters: 南无观世音菩萨、护身符、一生平安 / Traditional characters: 南無觀世音菩薩、護身符、一生平安
• Back-translation of Mandarin: [chant] I take refuge in Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva; Amulet; A Whole Life in Good Health
• Context: Firefly Props and Merchandise, Visible Chinese, stylized characters on metal Chinese poker token [actually Buddhist amulet], as used in “Shindig” during both card games, given by Adam “Jayne Cobb” Baldwin to fan and Serenity (movie) extra TheDuke333, posted on Haken’s Firefly Fans.net

Na1mo2 Guan1shi4yin1 Pu2sa4

[Buddhism] [chant] I take refuge in / pay homage to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva

1. na1mo2: I take refuge in / pay homage [loanword; transliteration for namo, from namah: [Sanskrit] adoration, obeisance (see Note 1 below)]
   1. na1 [used only in the compound word na1mo2]: [phonetically used Chinese character]; [nan2: [Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua)] [literally: south]]
   2. mo2 [used only in the compound word na1mo2]: [phonetically used Chinese character]; [wu2: [Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua)] [literally: nothing]]
2. Guan1shi4yin1 Pu2sa4: [Buddhism] Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
   1. Guan1shi4yin1: [Buddhism] Avalokitesvara, The Observer of the Sights and Sounds of the World, The Goddess of Mercy [loan translation of the name Avalokitesvara: [Sanskrit] lord who looks down (onto the world)]
      1. guan1 [used only in compound words]: to observe
      2. shi4 [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: the world
      3. yin1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a sound
   2. Pu2sa4: [abbreviation] [full form, below, no longer used] →
      Pu2ti2sa4duo3 菩提萨埵 (traditional: 菩提薩埵 ): [Buddhism] bodhisattva [loanword; transliteration for bodhisattva: [Sanskrit] enlightened existence (see Note 2 below)]
      1. pu2ti2: [Buddhism] enlightenment [loanword; transliteration for bodhi: [Sanskrit] enlightenment]
         1. pu2 [used only in the compound words pu2ti2 and Pu2sa4]: [phonetically used Chinese character]
         2. ti2: [phonetically used Chinese character]; [literally: to lead, to promote]
      2. sa4duo3: [part of some Buddhist names] [loanword; transliteration for sattva: [Sanskrit] existence (see Note 3 below)]
         1. sa4 [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: [phonetically used Chinese character]
         2. duo3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words; obscure character]: [phonetically used Chinese character]

hu4shen1fu2

an amulet to protect against demons / black magic

1. hu4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: to protect, to guard
2. shen1 [used only in compound words (or as a classifier for certain nouns)]: a body, a life
3. fu2: a charm, a talisman

yi1sheng1 ping2an1

a whole life in good health

1. yi1sheng1: a whole life, all of one’s life
   1. yi1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words; pronounced “yi4” before a 1st-tone syllable]: all of, throughout
   2. sheng1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a lifetime
2. ping2an1: to be well, to be safe and sound
   1. ping2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: calm, peaceful
   2. an1: to be in good health, to be safe (in one’s life)

Si4chuan1 Tian1fu3 Pai2; Ke3su4shi2; Dou4ban4jiang4; Jing4zhong4 Liu4 Ang4si1

• Simplified characters: 四川天府牌、可素食、豆瓣浆、净重六盎司 / Traditional characters: 四川天府牌、可素食、豆辦醬、淨重六盎司
• Back-translation of Mandarin: Szechuan Land of Abundance brand; Suitable for Vegetarians; Bean Sauce; Net Wt. 6 Oz.
• English: Szechuan [(Not shown) Land of Abundance brand; Suitable for Vegetarians]; Bean Sauce; Net Wt. 6 Oz.
• Context: Firefly Props and Merchandise, Visible Chinese, on the real-world bean product eaten by Tracey in “The Message,” on the Prop Replicas page of Browncoats.com

Si4chuan1 Tian1fu3 pai2

[brand name of a real-world food product] Sichuan Land of Abundance brand

1. Si4chuan1: Sichuan/Szechuan (province)
   1. si4: four
   2. chuan1 [used only in compound words]: a river
2. Tian1fu3: [abbreviation] →
   Tian1fu3zhi1guo2 天府之国 (traditional: 天府之國 ): [idiom] Land of Abundance [nickname for Sichuan province]
   1. tian1fu3: a self-sufficient area
      1. tian1: things given by nature
      2. fu3: a provincial division, a prefecture
   2. zhi1: [Literary Chinese] = de5 的 : [vernacular Mandarin] [noun-modifier marker] [here: possessive (genitive), ’s, of]
   3. guo2: a country
3. pai2 [used only in compound words]: a brand (for a product)

ke3su4shi2

suitable for vegetarian diets, suitable for vegetarians

1. ke3: to suit, to fit
2. su4shi2: a vegetarian diet, to be vegetarian [adjective (see Note 1 below)]
   1. su4 [used only in compound words]: vegetarian [adjective (see Note 2 below)]
   2. shi2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: food, food-related

dou4ban4jiang4

a spicy and thick sauce of fava beans (broad beans)

1. dou4ban4: a bean segment
   1. dou4: a bean, a legume
   2. ban4: a fruit segment, a piece
2. jiang4: a thick sauce, a paste

jing4zhong4 liu4 ang4si1

net weight six ounces (170 grams)

1. jing4zhong4: net weight
   1. jing4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: net (weight, price, etc.)
   2. zhong4: weight
2. liu4: six
3. ang4si1: [classifier for ounces] [loanword; transliteration for ounce: [English]]
   1. ang4: [phonetically used Chinese character]; [literally: [an ancient drinking vessel]]
   2. si1: [phonetically used Chinese character]; [literally: a government ministry department]

Ji1du1tu2men5; Qi4guan1 Juan1xian4zhe3

• Simplified characters: 基督徒们 —— 器官捐献者 / Traditional characters: 基督徒們 —— 器官捐獻者
• Back-translation of Mandarin: Christians; Organ Donor
• Context: Firefly Props and Merchandise, Visible Chinese, on back of replicas of Mal’s dog tags [old] by Quantum Mechanix, on the Kids Need to Read forum

Ji1du1tu2men2

Christians [see Note 1 below]

1. Ji1du1tu2: a Christian
   1. Ji1du1: [abbreviation] [full form, below, no longer used] →
      Ji1li4si1du1 基利斯督 : Christ [loanword; transliteration for Khristos Χριστός: [Ancient Greek] Christ [literally: anointed (loan translation for Mashiah מָשִׁיחַ : [Hebrew] messiah; literally: anointed)] (see Note 2 below)]
      1. ji1 [used only in compound words]: [phonetically used Chinese character]; [literally: a base, a foundation]
      2. li4: [phonetically used Chinese character]; [literally: a profit, a merit]
      3. si1: [phonetically used Chinese character]; [literally: thus, then]
      4. du1 [used only in compound words]: [phonetically used Chinese character]; [literally: to superintend, to direct]
   2. tu2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a follower
2. men5: [suffix for human plural words]

qi4guan1 juan1xian4zhe3

an organ donor

1. qi4guan1: an organ (of the body)
   1. qi4 [used only in compound words]: an organ (of the body)
   2. guan1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: an organ (of the body)
2. juan1xian4zhe3: a donor
   1. juan1xian4: to donate
      1. juan1: to donate
      2. xian4: to donate
   2. zhe3: [suffix to make doer nouns from verbs/adjectives], -er/-or

Jun1shi4; Wu3-Qi1

• Simplified characters: 军士   五七 / Traditional characters: 軍士   五七
• Back-translation of Mandarin: Noncommissioned Officer (NCO); Five-Seven [see Note 1 below]
• Context: Firefly Props and Merchandise, Visible Chinese, on obverse of replicas of Mal’s dog tags [new] by Quantum Mechanix

jun1shi4

a noncommissioned officer (NCO)

1. jun1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: military
2. shi4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a soldier

wu3-qi1

five-seven [see Note 1 below]

1. wu3: five
2. qi1: seven

You3 Ying2yang3 de5 Shi2pin3; -de5 Xiao3jing1ling2, Jiu3ba1; -shan4 Fu2wu4 Tuan2-

• Simplified characters: 有营养的食品、的小精灵酒吧、善服务团 / Traditional characters: 有營養的食品、的小精靈酒吧、善服務團
• Back-translation of Mandarin: Nutritious Food; [part of: Fighting Elves (see Note 1 below)]; Bar; [part of: Philanthropic Service Organization]
• Context: Firefly Props and Merchandise, Visible Chinese, on Peach Halves cans, formerly on The Prop Store of London site; second and third parts incorrectly written mirror-image (list of written-Chinese errors), decorative gibberish for background from reused parts of words from other designs

you3 ying2yang3 de5 shi2pin3

nutritious food

1. you3 ying2yang3 de5: nutritious, that has nutrition
   1. you3: to have, there is
   2. ying2yang3: nutrition, nourishment
      1. ying2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: to nourish
      2. yang3: nourishment, to provide for
   3. de5: [noun-modifier marker] [here: integrated adjectival clause (restrictive relative clause)]
2. shi2pin3: food, foodstuffs
   1. shi2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: food, food-related
   2. pin3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a product, a commodity

Used as decorative gibberish ↓

-de5 xiao3jing1ling2

[random clipping of phrase] →
Zhan4dou4 de5 Xiao3jing1ling2 战斗的小精灵 (traditional: 戰鬥的小精靈 ): fighting elf/elves [from Jayne’s T-shirt (Jayne T-shirt list); also see Note 1 below]

1. zhan4dou4 de5: fighting, combatting, that fight, that combat
   1. zhan4dou4: to fight, to combat
      1. zhan4 [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: to struggle
      2. dou4: to fight
   2. de5: [noun-modifier marker] [here: integrated adjectival clause (restrictive relative clause)]
2. xiao3jing1ling2: an elf
   1. xiao3: to be small
   2. jing1ling2: a demon, a spirit
      1. jing1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a demon, a spirit
      2. ling2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: an elf, a spirit

jiu3ba1

a bar (barroom) [probably from “The Train Job” ionized-field window]

1. jiu3: liquor, spirits
2. ba1: a bar (barroom) [loanword; transliteration for bar: [English]]; [literally: [onomatopoeia for “Snap!” sound]]

-shan4 fu2wu4 tuan2-

[random clipping of phrase] →
Ci2shan4 Fu2wu4 Tuan2ti3 慈善服务团体 (traditional: 慈善服務團體 ): philanthropic organization [from Jayne’s T-shirt (Jayne T-shirt list)]

1. ci2shan4: to be philanthropic, to be charitable
   1. ci2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: compassionate, kind [adjective]
   2. shan4: to be charitable, to be kind
2. fu2wu4: service
   1. fu2: to serve
   2. wu4 [used only in compound words]: business, affairs
3. tuan2ti3: an organization, a group (of people)
   1. tuan2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: an organization, a group (of people)
   2. ti3 [used only in compound words]: a body

Jing3wei4; Ping2jing4

• Simplified characters: 警卫、平静 / Traditional characters: 警衛、平靜
• Back-translation of Mandarin: Security Guard; Tranquil
• Translated from the English: [(Not shown) Security Guard]; Serenity [Firefly version (“Serenity” translation comparison)]
• Context: Firefly Props and Merchandise, Visible Chinese, on JUIM’s former site (hotdeathdiner.com/images/patches.jpg); first word on patch for Ariel with the snaky medical (caduceus) symbol [see note below]; second word on logo patch

jing3wei4

a guard, a security guard

1. jing3 [used only in compound words]: to guard against
2. wei4 [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: to guard, a guard

ping2jing4

to be quiet (calm), to be tranquil

1. ping2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: calm, peaceful
2. jing4: to be calm, to be still