Showing posts tagged translation

Cave of Two Lovers

The sign at the entrance says ‘Lover’s Cave’. The font of the calligraphy is called:

Seal script 篆书 zhuànshū is an ancient style of Chinese calligraphy. It evolved organically out of the Zhōu dynasty script (see bronze script), arising in the Warring State of Qin. The Qin variant of seal script became the standard and was adopted as the formal script for all of China in the Qin dynasty, and was still widely used for decorative engraving and seals (name chops, or signets) in the Han dynasty. Ever since, its predominant use has been in seals, hence the English name. The literal translation of its Chinese name 篆书 (zhuànshū) is decorative engraving script, because by the time this name was coined in the Han dynasty, its role had been reduced to decorative inscriptions rather than as the main script of the day.

Note: There’s so much cooler stuff out there then boring 'Times New Roman-esque’ font for Chinese characters. Want some cool Chinese fonts? Go here to download the Seal Script font I used in the picture.

Or here to find other cool fonts.

Never give up, never surrender!

Translation of the wanted poster:

承烈火君命緝捕艾洛祖寇
二叛賊.艾洛将軍曾為平西
巨龍.祖寇*王子曾為火帝
儲君. 二賊違反國令.
拒絕征剿水族蛮子及捉拿
降世神通.格殺勿論.

By orders of the Fire Lord:
Arrest the rebellious traitors Iroh and Zuko. General Iroh, the Dragon of the West. and Prince Zuko Crown Prince to the Fire Lord.
The (two) traitors disobeyed imperial orders to eliminate  the Water Tribe Savages and  to capture the Avatar.  Deathly force permissible.

The knife:

The knife Uncle gave to Zuko says: 非戰不屈   Never give up without a fight.

The font/calligraphy used is - once again- either Oracle Bone script or Seal script.

For your amusement I present google translate:

Jun Ming Cheng fire
Arrest Yi Luozu Kou two Panzei.
Aiello General who Pingxi dragon.
Royal crown prince who fire ancestral Kouwang Zi.
Erzei violation of state order.
Manzi refused Zhengjiao aquarium and capture incarnate supernatural powers.
Shoot to kill.

Chey’s Wanted Poster

I am a little said that his name does not have a funny translation on the wanted poster. Ji just means to ‘cross a river’ or 'to help’. Some people are just not important enough to get officially mocked XD

For added fun: This is what google translate spits out.

     Apprehend
     済.
     Long before the fire coward army deserters Panzei.
     New Year’s Eve blast of good fire power.
     Mental instability.
     Caught by careful

The Blue Spirit Wanted Poster

緝拿
    蓝神
    劫持降世神通
    頭戴蓝色土國面具
    身份不明外傳為鬼之說不足信
    如探得行踪須全力以赴

Wanted
The Blue Spirit
kidnapped the Avatar from the Fire Nation.
Wears a blue Earth Kingdom mask.
Unidentified rumor has it that he’s a ghost.
This has not been confirmed. 
If you locate his whereabouts,
use maximum force to capture him.

I do realize that my translation differs from the Avatar Wiki one. The wiki one adds implied bits that are not there on the actual poster.

海月護佑 - (With the) Blessing and Protection of the Sea and Moon

首長 - Chief (of the Watertribe)

戰士 - soldiers/warriors

東山 - Dong Shan (East Mountain)

And just a small plot reminder: Zuko does find the map and uses it to find Aang. Hakoda is just lucky that he does not relay that information to anyone.

Look who’s trying to get around the chain of command. The wanted poster Zhao threatens Zuko with clearly has not been officially approved yet, since it is missing the official seal.

Seriously, Zhao, if Ozai finds out you are handing out inofficial wanted posters in his name,you are toast.

緝拿 - 降世神通 Wanted — The Avatar
該逃犯身懷截氣神功This fugitive knows Airbending,
能制起旋風飛遁如風can create whirlwinds, and flee like the wind.捕者慎之慎之 To those who attempt to catch him: Approach with extreme caution!烈火君令 The Fire Lord (signature)

… and more gibberish …

截水神功練習第一式 translates as “Waterbending, Exercise One" 

水單鞭 translates as "single water whip”

The Chinese characters on the floor of the Fire Temple read:

summer solstice

autumn equinox

winter solstice

spring equinox

The closing credits show ‘longevity’ on the right and left side.

Longevity, fortune, luck and happiness are commonly used - in their stylized variations - to decorate anything from wedding cards, New Year’s greetings, clothes to cigarettes.

Back-story on the double happiness symbol.

The picture I inserted in the middle shows variations of (longevity) the same character.