“Out of Gas”

Firefly–Serenity Chinese Pinyinary
Chinese translations with standard Hanyu Pinyin romanization and Chinese characters for Firefly the TV series and Serenity the movie and comic books

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Chinese Dialog

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fei4wu4 [#1]

Simplified characters: 废物 / Traditional characters: 廢物
Back-translation of Mandarin: trash
Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): fei-oo
Translated from script English: junk
Context: “Out of Gas,” Zoe, referring to Serenity

fei4wu4

a useless thing, trash

fei4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: useless, abandoned
wu4 [used only in compound words]: a matter, a thing

See also:

Fei4hua4. (“Safe”)
fei4wu4 (“Out of Gas” [below])

Fei4wu4? [#2]

Simplified characters: 废物？ / Traditional characters: 廢物？
Back-translation of Mandarin: Trash?
Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): Fei-oo?
Translated from script English: Junk?
Context: “Out of Gas,” Mal, surprised by Zoe’s slur against Serenity

fei4wu4

a useless thing, trash

fei4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: useless, abandoned
wu4 [used only in compound words]: a matter, a thing

See also:

Fei4hua4. (“Safe”)
fei4wu4 (“Out of Gas” [above])

Qu4 ni3 de5.

Simplified/Traditional characters: 去你的。
Back-translation of Mandarin: Go to hell!
Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): Chur ni-duh.
Translated from script English: Screw you.
Context: “Out of Gas,” Wash, response to Mal’s order to leave the side of injured Zoe

qu4 ni3 de5

[slang] Get lost!, Go to hell!; [literally: go to your]

qu4: to go to, to leave
ni3 de5: your (singular), yours (singular)
1. ni3: you (singular)
2. de5: [noun-modifier marker] [here: possessive (genitive), ’s, of]

gui3

Simplified/Traditional characters: 鬼
Back-translation of Mandarin: ghost
Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): guay
Translated from script English: hell
Context: “Out of Gas,” Jayne, invoked about Mal and Wash arguing

gui3

a ghost, a demon

Note:

The captions (region 1 DVD) incorrectly have What do… instead of “What the guay do….”

See also:

Jian4 ta1 de5 gui3! (“Safe”)
niao4 shi1 de5 du3gui3 (“Heart of Gold”)

Gau3saang1 hai6tung2 gu3zoeng3. Gim2caa4 joeng5hei3 gung1jing3. [#1; Not Mandarin (see Notes 1 and 2 below)]

Simplified characters: 救生系统故障。检查氧气供应。 / Traditional characters: 救生系統故障。檢查氧氣供應。
Back-translation of spoken Cantonese: Lifesaving-system breakdown. Check oxygen supply.
Back-translation of script Mandarin: Lifesaving-equipment failure. Check oxygen supply.
Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): Jeo-shung yong-jur goo-jang. Jien-cha yong-chi gong yin. [sic; Mandarin (see Note 1 below)]
Translated from script English: Life support failure. Check oxygen levels at once.
Context: “Out of Gas,” Voice of Serenity (×2), computer warning repeated with English version

Cantonese

[second word of spoken Cantonese, hai6tung2, doesn’t match the script Mandarin, yong4ju4 (see Note 1 below)]

gau3saang1 hai6tung2 gu3zoeng3

a lifesaving-system breakdown

gau3saang1 hai6tung2: a lifesaving system
1. gau3saang1: lifesaving
  1. gau3: to save, to rescue
  2. saang1: life
2. hai6tung2: a system [Mandarin pronunciation: xi4tong3: a system; xi4: a system; tong3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a system]
  1. hai6: a system
  2. tung2: from generation to generation
gu3zoeng3: a breakdown, a glitch
1. gu3: an incident
2. zoeng3: an obstacle

gim2caa4 joeng5hei3 gung1jing3

check oxygen supply

gim2caa4: to inspect
1. gim2: to inspect
2. caa4: to check
joeng5hei3 gung1jing3: oxygen supply
1. joeng5hei3: oxygen (O₂ gas)
  1. joeng5: [chemistry] oxygen (element with symbol O)
  2. hei3: gas [noun]
2. gung1jing3: a supply
  1. gung1: to supply
  2. jing3: to respond

Mandarin Version

[second word of script Mandarin, yong4ju4, doesn’t match the spoken Cantonese, hai6tung2 (see Note 1 below)]

Jiu4sheng1 yong4ju4 gu4zhang4. Jian3cha2 yang3qi4 gong1ying4. (phonetic for English speakers: Jeo-shung yong-jur goo-jang. Jien-cha yong-chi gong yin. [sic]) 救生用具故障。检查氧气供应。 (traditional: 救生用具故障。檢查氧氣供應。)

Lifesaving-equipment failure. Check oxygen supply. (Script: Life support failure. Check oxygen levels at once.)

jiu4sheng1 yong4ju4 gu4zhang4

a lifesaving-equipment breakdown

jiu4sheng1 yong4ju4: lifesaving equipment, life preservers
1. jiu4sheng1: lifesaving [+NOUN] (especially from drowning)
  1. jiu4: to save, to rescue
  2. sheng1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: life (in general), existence
2. yong4ju4: an appliance [Cantonese pronunciation: jung6geoi6: an appliance; jung6: to use, to operate; geoi6: a tool]
  1. yong4: to use, to operate
  2. ju4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a tool
gu4zhang4: a breakdown, a failure
1. gu4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: an incident
2. zhang4 [used only in compound words]: an obstruction

jian3cha2 yang3qi4 gong1ying4

check oxygen supply

jian3cha2: to check, to inspect (an I.D. [identity card], luggage, etc.)
1. jian3: to check, to inspect
2. cha2: to check, to inspect
yang3qi4 gong1ying4: oxygen supply
1. yang3qi4: oxygen (O₂ gas)
  1. yang3: [chemistry] oxygen (element with symbol O)
  2. qi4: gas
2. gong1ying4: to supply, a supply
  1. gong1: to supply
  2. ying4 [used only in compound words]: to respond (to a situation / to a call for help)

Notes:

Cantonese: When “Out of Gas” first aired, there was a lot of fan discussion about why the computer warnings were in Cantonese instead of the usual Mandarin. When asked about this, Firefly Chinese translator Jenny Lynn responded:

I hate to demystify it, putting end to all the China-Hong Kong political debate and conspiracy theories, but here is the real explanation: Even though I loaned my voice as a guide for the temporary audio in the editor’s cut, they couldn’t use my voice because I wasn’t a member of the Screen Actors Guild. The post-production department uses a loop group—actors to do voiceover work to fill in audio for crowd noise, dialogue replacement, or in this case, the Serenity computer. So, the associate producer requested a Mandarin Chinese actress to re-dub the lines, but the actress who took the microphone that day spoke the lines in Cantonese. Nobody caught it until I and everybody else heard it when the episode aired. I brought up the discrepancy with the producers the next day and for subsequent episodes, I joined the actor’s guild and did the background voiceovers whenever they called for Mandarin, just so there’d be no slip up.

(Jenny Lynn, questionnaire answer in E-mail attachment to author, November 11, 2004)

The voice actor also either got a different version of the script than was published or else substituted gau3saang1 hai6tung2 (Mandarin pronunciation: jiu4sheng1 xi4tong3) ‘lifesaving system’, for gau3saang1 jung6geoi6 (Mandarin pronunciation: jiu4sheng1 yong4ju4) ‘lifesaving equipment’, ‘life preservers’. Thank you to a Firefly fan for the hai6tung2/xi4tong3 and jung6geoi6/yong4ju4, including their Chinese characters.
Pronunciation: The N for standard NG (gong yin for gong1ying4) is Taiwan Mandarin pronunciation (FAQ).
Also: sheng1ming4 bao3zhang4 xi4tong3 生命保障系统 (traditional: 生命保障系統 ): a life-support system (for astronauts); sheng1ming4 bao3zhang4: protection of life (sheng1ming4: life [sheng1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: life (in general), existence; ming4: life]; bao3zhang4: to safeguard, protection [bao3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: to protect (life, civil rights, etc.); zhang4 [used only in compound words]: to safeguard]); xi4tong3: a system (xi4: a system; tong3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a system)

See also:

Gau3saang1 hai6tung2 gu3zoeng3. Gim2caa4 joeng5hei3 gung1jing3. (“Out of Gas” [below])

suo3you3 de5 dou1 shi4dang4…?

Simplified characters: 所有的都适当……？ / Traditional characters: 所有的都適當……？
Back-translation of Mandarin: all that’s proper...?
Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): suo-yo duh doh shr-dang...?
Translated from script English: all that's proper...?
Context: “Out of Gas,” Mal, invoked to Bester the mechanic about his Kaylee-aison

suo3you3 de5 dou1

all, every

suo3you3 de5: all, every
1. suo3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: that which
2. you3: there is, to possess
3. de5: [noun-modifier marker] [here: integrated adjectival clause (restrictive relative clause) (modified noun is understood or generic)]
dou1: all [commonly used redundantly with suo3you3 de5]

shi4dang4

to be proper, to be appropriate

shi4 [used only in compound words]: proper, appropriate [adjective]
dang4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: proper, appropriate [adjective]

Dong3 ma5?

Simplified characters: 懂吗？ / Traditional characters: 懂嗎？
Back-translation of Mandarin: Understand?
Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): Dong-ma?
Translated from script English: Understand?
Context: “Out of Gas,” Mal, to Kaylee about fixing over fretting

dong3 ma5

understand?

dong3: to understand
ma5: [marker for questions]

See also:

dong3 le5 ma5? (Serenity [novelization])
Dong3 le5 ma5? Ni3 chou2lian3, you3 mei2you3? (Serenity [movie])
dong3 ma5 (“The Train Job,” “The Message,” “Heart of Gold”)

Gau3saang1 hai6tung2 gu3zoeng3. Gim2caa4 joeng5hei3 gung1jing3. [#2; Not Mandarin (see notes below)]

Simplified characters: 救生系统故障。检查氧气供应。 / Traditional characters: 救生系統故障。檢查氧氣供應。
Back-translation of spoken Cantonese: Lifesaving-system breakdown. Check oxygen supply.
Back-translation of script Mandarin: Lifesaving-equipment failure. Check oxygen supply.
Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): Jeo-shung yong-jur goo-jang. Jien-cha yong-chi gong yin. [sic; Mandarin (see notes below)]
Translated from script English: Life support failure. Check oxygen levels at once.
Context: “Out of Gas,” Voice of Serenity (×2), computer warning repeated with English version

Cantonese

[second word of spoken Cantonese, hai6tung2, doesn’t match the script Mandarin, yong4ju4 (see Note 1 below)]

gau3saang1 hai6tung2 gu3zoeng3

a lifesaving-system breakdown

gau3saang1 hai6tung2: a lifesaving system
1. gau3saang1: lifesaving
  1. gau3: to save, to rescue
  2. saang1: life
2. hai6tung2: a system [Mandarin pronunciation: xi4tong3: a system; xi4: a system; tong3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a system]
  1. hai6: a system
  2. tung2: from generation to generation
gu3zoeng3: a breakdown, a glitch
1. gu3: an incident
2. zoeng3: an obstacle

gim2caa4 joeng5hei3 gung1jing3

check oxygen supply

gim2caa4: to inspect
1. gim2: to inspect
2. caa4: to check
joeng5hei3 gung1jing3: oxygen supply
1. joeng5hei3: oxygen (O₂ gas)
  1. joeng5: [chemistry] oxygen (element with symbol O)
  2. hei3: gas [noun]
2. gung1jing3: a supply
  1. gung1: to supply
  2. jing3: to respond

Mandarin Version

[second word of script Mandarin, yong4ju4, doesn’t match the spoken Cantonese, hai6tung2 (see Note 1 below)]

Lifesaving-equipment failure. Check oxygen supply. (Script: Life support failure. Check oxygen levels at once.)

jiu4sheng1 yong4ju4 gu4zhang4

a lifesaving-equipment breakdown

jiu4sheng1 yong4ju4: lifesaving equipment, life preservers
1. jiu4sheng1: lifesaving [+NOUN] (especially from drowning)
  1. jiu4: to save, to rescue
  2. sheng1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: life (in general), existence
2. yong4ju4: an appliance [Cantonese pronunciation: jung6geoi6: an appliance; jung6: to use, to operate; geoi6: a tool]
  1. yong4: to use, to operate
  2. ju4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a tool
gu4zhang4: a breakdown, a failure
1. gu4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: an incident
2. zhang4 [used only in compound words]: an obstruction

jian3cha2 yang3qi4 gong1ying4

check oxygen supply

jian3cha2: to check, to inspect (an I.D. [identity card], luggage, etc.)
1. jian3: to check, to inspect
2. cha2: to check, to inspect
yang3qi4 gong1ying4: oxygen supply
1. yang3qi4: oxygen (O₂ gas)
  1. yang3: [chemistry] oxygen (element with symbol O)
  2. qi4: gas
2. gong1ying4: to supply, a supply
  1. gong1: to supply
  2. ying4 [used only in compound words]: to respond (to a situation / to a call for help)

Notes:

Cantonese: When “Out of Gas” first aired, there was a lot of fan discussion about why the computer warnings were in Cantonese instead of the usual Mandarin. When asked about this, Firefly Chinese translator Jenny Lynn responded:

I hate to demystify it, putting end to all the China-Hong Kong political debate and conspiracy theories, but here is the real explanation: Even though I loaned my voice as a guide for the temporary audio in the editor’s cut, they couldn’t use my voice because I wasn’t a member of the Screen Actors Guild. The post-production department uses a loop group—actors to do voiceover work to fill in audio for crowd noise, dialogue replacement, or in this case, the Serenity computer. So, the associate producer requested a Mandarin Chinese actress to re-dub the lines, but the actress who took the microphone that day spoke the lines in Cantonese. Nobody caught it until I and everybody else heard it when the episode aired. I brought up the discrepancy with the producers the next day and for subsequent episodes, I joined the actor’s guild and did the background voiceovers whenever they called for Mandarin, just so there’d be no slip up.

(Jenny Lynn, questionnaire answer in E-mail attachment to author, November 11, 2004)

The voice actor also either got a different version of the script than was published or else substituted gau3saang1 hai6tung2 (Mandarin pronunciation: jiu4sheng1 xi4tong3) ‘lifesaving system’, for gau3saang1 jung6geoi6 (Mandarin pronunciation: jiu4sheng1 yong4ju4) ‘lifesaving equipment’, ‘life preservers’. Thank you to a Firefly fan for the hai6tung2/xi4tong3 and jung6geoi6/yong4ju4, including their Chinese characters.
Pronunciation: The N for standard NG (gong yin for gong1ying4) is Taiwan Mandarin pronunciation (FAQ).
Also: sheng1ming4 bao3zhang4 xi4tong3 生命保障系统 (traditional: 生命保障系統 ): a life-support system (for astronauts); sheng1ming4 bao3zhang4: protection of life (sheng1ming4: life [sheng1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: life (in general), existence; ming4: life]; bao3zhang4: to safeguard, protection [bao3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: to protect (life, civil rights, etc.); zhang4 [used only in compound words]: to safeguard]); xi4tong3: a system (xi4: a system; tong3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a system)

See also:

Gau3saang1 hai6tung2 gu3zoeng3. Gim2caa4 joeng5hei3 gung1jing3. (“Out of Gas” [above, below])

gou3shi3

Simplified/Traditional characters: 狗屎
Back-translation of Mandarin: crap (worthless thing)
Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): go se [Taiwan Mandarin pronunciation (FAQ: Variety of Chinese)]
Translated from script English: crap
Context: “Out of Gas,” Captain (of pirate ship), referring to Serenity

gou3shi3

[insult] [offensive] crap (a worthless thing); [literally: [offensive] dog dung]

gou3: a dog
shi3: excrement, dung

Note:

The Captain sounds like “go-suh.” The captions have go-se on the region 1 DVD.

See also:

gen1 hou2zi5 bi3 diu1 shi3 (“Heart of Gold”)
gou3shi3 (“Shindig,” “Safe” [Cut], “The Message” [Cut], Serenity [novelization])
niu2shi3 (“War Stories”)
zheng1qi4 de5 gou3shi3dui1 (“Our Mrs. Reynolds” [Cut])

Gau3saang1 hai6tung2 gu3zoeng3. Gim2caa4 joeng5hei3 gung1jing3. [#3; Not Mandarin (see notes below)]

Simplified characters: 救生系统故障。检查氧气供应。 / Traditional characters: 救生系統故障。檢查氧氣供應。
Back-translation of spoken Cantonese: Lifesaving-system breakdown. Check oxygen supply.
Back-translation of script Mandarin: Lifesaving-equipment failure. Check oxygen supply.
Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): Jeo-shung yong-jur goo-jang. Jien-cha yong-chi gong yin. [sic; Mandarin (see notes below)]
Translated from script English: Life support failure. Check oxygen levels at once.
Context: “Out of Gas,” Voice of Serenity (×4), computer warning repeated with English version

Cantonese

[second word of spoken Cantonese, hai6tung2, doesn’t match the script Mandarin, yong4ju4 (see Note 1 below)]

gau3saang1 hai6tung2 gu3zoeng3

a lifesaving-system breakdown

gau3saang1 hai6tung2: a lifesaving system
1. gau3saang1: lifesaving
  1. gau3: to save, to rescue
  2. saang1: life
2. hai6tung2: a system [Mandarin pronunciation: xi4tong3: a system; xi4: a system; tong3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a system]
  1. hai6: a system
  2. tung2: from generation to generation
gu3zoeng3: a breakdown, a glitch
1. gu3: an incident
2. zoeng3: an obstacle

gim2caa4 joeng5hei3 gung1jing3

check oxygen supply

gim2caa4: to inspect
1. gim2: to inspect
2. caa4: to check
joeng5hei3 gung1jing3: oxygen supply
1. joeng5hei3: oxygen (O₂ gas)
  1. joeng5: [chemistry] oxygen (element with symbol O)
  2. hei3: gas [noun]
2. gung1jing3: a supply
  1. gung1: to supply
  2. jing3: to respond

Mandarin Version

[second word of script Mandarin, yong4ju4, doesn’t match the spoken Cantonese, hai6tung2 (see Note 1 below)]

Lifesaving-equipment failure. Check oxygen supply. (Script: Life support failure. Check oxygen levels at once.)

jiu4sheng1 yong4ju4 gu4zhang4

a lifesaving-equipment breakdown

jiu4sheng1 yong4ju4: lifesaving equipment, life preservers
1. jiu4sheng1: lifesaving [+NOUN] (especially from drowning)
  1. jiu4: to save, to rescue
  2. sheng1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: life (in general), existence
2. yong4ju4: an appliance [Cantonese pronunciation: jung6geoi6: an appliance; jung6: to use, to operate; geoi6: a tool]
  1. yong4: to use, to operate
  2. ju4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a tool
gu4zhang4: a breakdown, a failure
1. gu4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: an incident
2. zhang4 [used only in compound words]: an obstruction

jian3cha2 yang3qi4 gong1ying4

check oxygen supply

jian3cha2: to check, to inspect (an I.D. [identity card], luggage, etc.)
1. jian3: to check, to inspect
2. cha2: to check, to inspect
yang3qi4 gong1ying4: oxygen supply
1. yang3qi4: oxygen (O₂ gas)
  1. yang3: [chemistry] oxygen (element with symbol O)
  2. qi4: gas
2. gong1ying4: to supply, a supply
  1. gong1: to supply
  2. ying4 [used only in compound words]: to respond (to a situation / to a call for help)

Notes:

Cantonese: When “Out of Gas” first aired, there was a lot of fan discussion about why the computer warnings were in Cantonese instead of the usual Mandarin. When asked about this, Firefly Chinese translator Jenny Lynn responded:

I hate to demystify it, putting end to all the China-Hong Kong political debate and conspiracy theories, but here is the real explanation: Even though I loaned my voice as a guide for the temporary audio in the editor’s cut, they couldn’t use my voice because I wasn’t a member of the Screen Actors Guild. The post-production department uses a loop group—actors to do voiceover work to fill in audio for crowd noise, dialogue replacement, or in this case, the Serenity computer. So, the associate producer requested a Mandarin Chinese actress to re-dub the lines, but the actress who took the microphone that day spoke the lines in Cantonese. Nobody caught it until I and everybody else heard it when the episode aired. I brought up the discrepancy with the producers the next day and for subsequent episodes, I joined the actor’s guild and did the background voiceovers whenever they called for Mandarin, just so there’d be no slip up.

(Jenny Lynn, questionnaire answer in E-mail attachment to author, November 11, 2004)

The voice actor also either got a different version of the script than was published or else substituted gau3saang1 hai6tung2 (Mandarin pronunciation: jiu4sheng1 xi4tong3) ‘lifesaving system’, for gau3saang1 jung6geoi6 (Mandarin pronunciation: jiu4sheng1 yong4ju4) ‘lifesaving equipment’, ‘life preservers’. Thank you to a Firefly fan for the hai6tung2/xi4tong3 and jung6geoi6/yong4ju4, including their Chinese characters.
Pronunciation: The N for standard NG (gong yin for gong1ying4) is Taiwan Mandarin pronunciation (FAQ).
Also: sheng1ming4 bao3zhang4 xi4tong3 生命保障系统 (traditional: 生命保障系統 ): a life-support system (for astronauts); sheng1ming4 bao3zhang4: protection of life (sheng1ming4: life [sheng1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: life (in general), existence; ming4: life]; bao3zhang4: to safeguard, protection [bao3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: to protect (life, civil rights, etc.); zhang4 [used only in compound words]: to safeguard]); xi4tong3: a system (xi4: a system; tong3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a system)

See also:

Gau3saang1 hai6tung2 gu3zoeng3. Gim2caa4 joeng5hei3 gung1jing3. (“Out of Gas” [above])

Visible Chinese

Yi1

Simplified characters: 医 / Traditional characters: 醫
Back-translation of Mandarin: Infirmary
Context: “Out of Gas,” Visible Chinese, on infirmary door, somewhat visible as Mal opens door in flashback

yi1

[for this meaning, Chinese character doesn’t represent an independent word in Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua) (see note below)] →
yi1wu4shi4 医务室 (traditional: 醫務室 ): a small clinic, an infirmary

yi1wu4: medical matters
1. yi1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: the medical profession
2. wu4 [used only in compound words]: business, affairs
shi4 [used only in compound words]: a room

Note:

Another possibility: yi1liao2 医疗 (traditional: 醫療 ): medical treatment; yi1: to treat (illness); liao2 [used only in compound words]: to treat (illness)

See also:

Yi1 (“Bushwhacked,” “Safe”)

Wo1

Simplified characters: 窝 / Traditional characters: 窩
Back-translation of Mandarin: Living Quarters
Context: “Out of Gas,” Visible Chinese, on cone-shaped part of vertical pipe behind Kaylee as she tells Mal about life support

wo1

living quarters, an apartment

See also:

Wo1 (“Safe”; Firefly DVD; Firefly: The Official Companion, Volume One)

Wei1 Dian4, Fen1

Simplified characters: 危电、氛 / Traditional characters: 危電、氛
Back-translation of Mandarin: Danger Electricity, Vapor
Context: “Out of Gas,” Visible Chinese, on white duct outside Serenity’s cargo bay, visible when shuttles leave and Mal seals up ship

wei1

[for this meaning, Chinese character doesn’t represent an independent word in Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua)] →
wei1xian3 危险 (traditional: 危險 ): danger, to be dangerous

wei1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: danger, dangerous
xian3: to be dangerous

dian4

electricity, to get an electric shock

fen1

[used only in compound words]: vapor

Note:

Standard warning signs with electricity:
- dang1xin1 chu4dian4 当心触电 (traditional: 當心觸電 ): careful: electric shock; dang1xin1: to be careful, to take care (dang1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: appropriate [adjective]; xin1: feelings, the mind); chu4dian4: to get an electric shock (chu4: to touch; dian4: to get an electric shock)
- jing3gao4: gao1ya1dian4 警告高压电 (traditional: 警告高壓電 ): warning: high voltage; jing3gao4: a warning (jing3 [used only in compound words]: to warn; gao4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: to report, to notify); gao1ya1dian4: high voltage (gao1ya1: high voltage [gao1: to be high (of level); ya1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: pressure [noun]]; dian4: electricity, to get an electric shock)
- xiao3xin1you3dian4 小心有电 (traditional: 小心有電 ): careful: electricity; xiao3xin1: to be careful, to take care (xiao3: to be small; xin1: feelings, the mind); you3: to have, there is; dian4: electricity, to get an electric shock
- you3dian4wei1xian3 有电危险 (traditional: 有電危險 ): electric shock risk; you3: to have, there is; dian4: electricity, to get an electric shock; wei1xian3: danger, to be dangerous (wei1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: danger, dangerous; xian3: to be dangerous)

See also:

Wei1 (“Ariel,” “Trash,” “Objects in Space”)
Wei1 Dian4, Fen1 (“Serenity, Part 1,” “The Train Job,” “Shindig,” “Our Mrs. Reynolds,” “Ariel,” “War Stories,” “Trash,” “The Message”)

Zhan4dou4 de5 Xiao3jing1ling2

Simplified characters: 战斗的小精灵 / Traditional characters: 戰鬥的小精靈
Back-translation of Mandarin: Fighting Elves
Translated from the English: Fighting Elves [from Firefly: The Official Companion, Volume Two, p. 15; also see Note 1 below]
Context: “Out of Gas,” Visible Chinese, on Jayne’s T-shirt (Jayne T-shirt list) with 28 and flames, visible at end during his Smells funny comment

zhan4dou4 de5

fighting, combatting, that fight, that combat

zhan4dou4: to fight, to combat
1. zhan4 [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: to struggle
2. dou4: to fight
de5: [noun-modifier marker] [here: integrated adjectival clause (restrictive relative clause)]

xiao3jing1ling2

an elf

xiao3: to be small
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

Notes:

Another possibility: zhan4dou4 de5 xiao3jing1ling2: the elf/elves of the fight, the elf/elves of combat, the fight’s elf/elves, combat’s elf/elves; zhan4dou4 de5: of the fight, of combat, the fight’s, combat’s; (zhan4dou4: a fight, combat [noun] [zhan4 [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: to struggle; dou4: to fight]; de5 [noun-modifier marker] [here: possessive (genitive), ’s, of]); xiao3jing1ling2: an elf [see main entry above]
The 1984 American movie title Gremlins was translated as Xiao3jing1ling2 《小精灵》 (traditional: 《小精靈》 ).
Also: zhan4dou4 [+NOUN]: fighting [+NOUN], militant [+NOUN]

See also:

You3 Ying2yang3 de5 Shi2pin3; -de5 Xiao3jing1ling2, Jiu3ba1; -shan4 Fu2wu4 Tuan2- (Firefly Props and Merchandise, Serenity Props and Merchandise)
Zhan4dou4 de5 Xiao3jing1ling2 (“Safe,” “War Stories”)