“War Stories”

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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Tai4kong1 suo3you3 de5 xing1qiu2 dou1 sai1jin4 wo3 de5 pi4gu5

Simplified characters: 太空所有的星球都塞尽我的屁股 / Traditional characters: 太空所有的星球都塞盡我的屁股
Back-translation of Mandarin: All the heavenly bodies of outer space stuffed all the way up my butt
Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): TAI-kong SUO-yo duh shing-chiou doh SAI-JIN wuh duh PEE-goo
Translated from script English: All the planets in space flushed into my butt
Context: “War Stories,” Wash, after Zoe states Mal’s opinion

tai4kong1 [de5] suo3you3 de5 xing1qiu2 dou1

all the heavenly bodies of outer space

tai4kong1 [de5]: of the sky, of outer space
1. tai4kong1: the sky, outer space
  1. tai4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: great, grand
  2. kong1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: the sky, space
2. [understood: de5 的 : [noun-modifier marker] [here: possessive (genitive), ’s, of]]
suo3you3 de5 xing1qiu2 dou1: all the heavenly bodies
1. 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)]
2. xing1qiu2: a heavenly body
  1. xing1: a star, a heavenly body
  2. qiu2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a globe
3. dou1: all [commonly used redundantly with suo3you3 de5]

sai1jin4

stuffed all the way up

sai1: to stuff up, to squeeze in
jin4: to the limit

wo3 de5 pi4gu5

my butt (of the body)

wo3 de5: my
1. wo3: I
2. de5: [noun-modifier marker] [here: possessive (genitive), ’s, of]
pi4gu5: a butt (of the body), a backside (of the body)
1. pi4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: [colloquial] a butt (of the body), a backside (of the body)
2. gu3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a thigh

Note:

Wash sounds like “Tai-koong soo-yoo-yo duh shing-chow sai-jin wuh duh pee-goo” instead of the TAI-kong SUO-yo duh shing-chiou doh SAI-JIN wuh duh PEE-goo of the script.

See also:

fei4fei4 de5 pi4yan3 (“Objects in Space”)
hou2zi5 de5 pi4gu5! (“Trash”)
pi4gu5 (“Shindig”)
Ti1 wo3 de5 pi4gu5. (“Shindig”)

Mei4mei5

Simplified/Traditional characters: 妹妹
Back-translation of Mandarin: Little sister
Script Mandarin translation (Hanyu Pinyin romanization): Mei mei [phonetic for English speakers: May-may]
Translated from script English: [(Not in script) Little sister (from “Serenity, Part 1” script)]
Context: “War Stories,” Simon, addressing River

mei4mei5

little sister, younger sister

mei4 [used only in compound words]: [repeated with neutral 5th tone] little sister, younger sister

Note:

Also:

Mandarin Words for Siblings
Relation / Gender	Female	Male
Older Sibling	jie3jie5 姐姐 older sister	ge1ge5 哥哥 older brother
Younger Sibling	mei4mei5 妹妹 younger sister	di4di5 弟弟 younger brother

See also:

mei4mei5 (“Serenity, Part 1,” “Safe,” “Our Mrs. Reynolds” [Cut], “Ariel,” “Heart of Gold”)
xiao3mei4mei4 (“Serenity, Part 2,” Serenity: Better Days #1 & #2)
Zhu4fu2 ni3, mei4mei5. (“Heart of Gold”)

fang4zong4 feng1kuang2 de5 jie2

Simplified characters: 放纵疯狂的结 / Traditional characters: 放縱瘋狂的結
Back-translation of Mandarin: knot of self-indulgent insanity
Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): FANG-tzang FONG-kwong duh jie
Translated from script English: knot of self indulgent lunacy
Context: “War Stories,” Mal, about Wash and Zoe arguing and Wash going on the job

fang4zong4 feng1kuang2 de5 jie2

a knot of self-indulgent insanity

fang4zong4: self-indulgent
1. fang4: to let oneself go
2. zong4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: to indulge
feng1kuang2: insanity, madness
1. feng1: to be crazy, to be insane
2. kuang2: to be crazy, to be insane
de5: [noun-modifier marker] [here: possessive (genitive), ’s, of]
jie2: a knot

Note:

Mal sounds like “fang-tzang fung-kwong duh jeh” instead of the FANG-tzang FONG-kwong duh jie of the script.

See also:

feng1le5 (“Bushwhacked”)
kuang2zhe3 de5 (“Serenity, Part 2”)
Wo3 de5 ma1 he2 ta1 de5 feng1kuang2 de5 wai4sheng5 dou1 (“Our Mrs. Reynolds”)
xiong1meng3 de5 kuang2ren2 (“Objects in Space”)

niu2shi3

Simplified/Traditional characters: 牛屎
Back-translation of Mandarin: cow dung
Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): NIOU-se [Taiwan Mandarin pronunciation (FAQ: Variety of Chinese)]
Translated from script English: cow dung
Context: “War Stories,” Mal, referring to Wash’s sabotage trick to go on the job

niu2shi3

cow dung

niu2: a cow
shi3: excrement, dung

Note:

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

See also:

gen1 hou2zi5 bi3 diu1 shi3 (“Heart of Gold”)
gou3shi3 (“Shindig,” “Safe” [Cut], “Out of Gas,” “The Message” [Cut], Serenity [novelization])
Niu2fen4. (“Safe”)
Xi1 niu2 (“Ariel”)
zheng1qi4 de5 gou3shi3dui1 (“Our Mrs. Reynolds” [Cut])

Zao1gao1!

Simplified/Traditional characters: 糟糕！
Back-translation of Mandarin: Damn!
Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): Tzao-gao!
Translated from script English: Damn it!
Context: “War Stories,” Mal, upon seeing laser-sight dot

zao1gao1

[colloquial] Damn!, What a mess!

zao1: to be ruined, [literally and figuratively] to be spoiled
gao1: cake, pudding

See also:

Zao1gao1! (“Bushwhacked,” Serenity [novelization])

Ta1ma1 de5 hun2dan4.

Simplified characters: 他妈的浑蛋。 / Traditional characters: 他媽的渾蛋。
Back-translation of Mandarin: Damn bastard.
Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): TAH-mah-duh hwun-DAN.
Translated from script English: Mother humping son of a b****.
Context: “War Stories,” Mal, addressing Niska

ta1ma1 de5

[insult] [offensive] damn/damned [intensifier], f***ing [intensifier]; [literally: his mother’s]

ta1ma1: [literally: his mother]
1. ta1 de5: his
  1. ta1: he
  2. [understood: de5 的 : [noun-modifier marker] [here: possessive (genitive), ’s, of]]
2. ma1: [colloquial] a mom, a mother
de5: [noun-modifier marker] [here: possessive (genitive), ’s, of]

hun2dan4

[insult] [offensive] a scoundrel, a bastard (nonliteral)

hun2: to be stupid, to be foolish
dan4: [word used in insults of people]; [literally: an egg]

Note:

Mal sounds like “May, tah mah duh hwoon dahn.” Thank you to Firefly Chinese translator Jenny Lynn for confirming, before the script was published, my suspicion that Mal’s “may” sound isn’t part of the Chinese.

See also:

ge5 zhen1 de5 hun2dan4! (“Jaynestown”)
hun2dan4 (“Serenity, Part 2,” “Bushwhacked,” “Our Mrs. Reynolds,” Serenity: Those Left Behind #1)
Ni3 ta1ma1 de5. Tian1xia4 suo3you3 de5 ren2. Dou1 gai1si3. (“Serenity, Part 1”)
Ta1ma1 de5. (“Serenity, Part 1”)
Ye1su1, ta1ma1 de5— (“Jaynestown”)
Zhen1 ta1ma1 yao4ming4. Zhu4yi4. (“Serenity, Part 1”)

Dej jim za to plátek masa. [Not Chinese]

Simplified/Traditional characters: [None]
Back-translation of Czech: Give them a slice of meat for it.
Script Czech translation (phonetic for English speakers): [(Not in script) Day yim za to plahteck mahsah.]
Translated from script English: They have enough for a slice. [in Czech]
Context: “War Stories,” Niska, to torturer about hostage refund

Czech

dej jim

give them

dej: give [imperative mood [command] form of dát]
jim: them, to them [dative case [indirect object] form of oni]

za to

for it

za: for
to: it [accusative case [direct object] form of to]

plátek masa

a slice of meat

plátek: a slice
masa: meat, of meat [genitive case [possessive] form of maso]

Note:

Thank you to native-Czech-speaker fan kernel32 for the Czech information.

He2 chu4sheng5 za2jiao1 de5 zang1huo4!

Simplified characters: 和畜生杂交的臧获！ / Traditional characters: 和畜生雜交的臧獲！
Back-translation of Mandarin: Lowly slaves that are promiscuous with livestock!
Script Mandarin translation (phonetic for English speakers): Huh CHOO-sheng tza-jiao duh tzang-HUO!
Translated from script English: Filthy fornicators of livestock!
Context: “War Stories,” Book, referring to Niska and henchmen, on seeing Mal’s ear

he2 chu4sheng5 za2jiao1 de5

of sexual promiscuity with livestock

he2: with
chu4sheng5: livestock, a domesticated animal
1. chu4 [used only in compound words]: livestock, a domesticated animal
2. sheng1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: living beings
za2jiao1: sexual promiscuity; [literally: hybridization, cross-breeding]
1. za2: to mix, to be mixed
2. jiao1: to have sex, to mate
de5: [noun-modifier marker] [here: possessive (genitive), ’s, of]

zang1huo4

[Old Chinese] [contemptuous] a slave

zang1: [Old Chinese] a slave; [Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua)] [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: good, correct
huo4 [used in the compound word zang1huo4]: [Old Chinese]; [Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua)] to capture, to obtain

Notes:

Book sounds like “Huh choo-sang hmm zah-jah dah tahng-hwa” instead of Huh CHOO-sheng tza-jiao duh tzang-HUO! Thank you to Firefly Chinese translator Jenny Lynn for confirming, before the script was published, my suspicion that Book’s throaty “hmm” sound isn’t part of the Chinese.
Also: chu4sheng5: [severe insult] beast, dirty swine, vermin

Visible Chinese

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: “War Stories,” Visible Chinese, on Jayne’s T-shirt (Jayne T-shirt list) with 28 and flames, visible as he gathers weapons from dead middlemen

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,” “Out of Gas”)

Wei1 Dian4, Fen1

Simplified characters: 危电、氛 / Traditional characters: 危電、氛
Back-translation of Mandarin: Danger Electricity, Vapor
Context: “War Stories,” Visible Chinese, on white duct outside Serenity’s cargo bay, visible before Book’s kneecaps comment

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,” “Out of Gas,” “Ariel,” “Trash,” “The Message”)

Yong3

Simplified/Traditional characters: 勇
Back-translation of Mandarin: Soldier
Translated from the English: Soldier [from costume designer Shawna Trpcic’s “Shindig” DVD commentary]
Context: “War Stories,” Visible Chinese, on Jayne’s T-shirt (Jayne T-shirt list), visible at end as he walks in on Mal and Zoe’s downright unsettlin' behavior

yong3

[Chinese character doesn’t represent an independent word in Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua); still used in:] →
san3bing1you2yong3 散兵游勇 (traditional: 散兵遊勇 ): [set phrase] [military] stragglers (soldiers scattered from a troop) and disbanded soldiers

san3bing1: [military] stragglers (soldiers scattered from a troop), [military] a skirmisher
1. san3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: scattered
2. bing1: the troops, an army
you2yong3: stragglers (soldiers scattered from a troop) and disbanded soldiers
1. you2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: to roam, to rove
2. yong3 [used only in compound words]: a soldier

Notes:

Yong3 勇 usually means ‘brave’ in Modern Standard Mandarin (Putonghua) → yong3gan3 勇敢 : to be brave, to be courageous; yong3 [used only in compound words]: brave, courageous; gan3 to be brave, to be courageous.
Also: jun1ren2 军人 (traditional: 軍人 ): a soldier (in the army); jun1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: military; ren2: a person

See also:

Yong3 (“The Train Job”; “Shindig”; “Ariel”; Firefly: The Official Companion, Volume One; Firefly: The Official Companion, Volume Two)