Chinglish

[GeneChing]

I thought we already had a thread on this. If anyone finds it, add it here and I'll merge it.

You must follow the link to see the pix. I'm only C&Ping a few of the first ones.

35 Hilarious Chinese Translation Fails

China is fascinating, and visiting it is bound to leave you with some amazing impressions. Sometimes, however, the English-speaking guests might have some difficulties finding their way around the country. Due to poor English knowledge and clumsy translation, signs that are supposed to help you out, only end up causing outbursts of unstoppable laughter!

Inspired by Buzzfeed’s “22 Chinese Signs That Got Seriously Lost In Translation”, we decided to make our own list of hilarious translation fails in China. And yes, there are definitely enough of them for many more such compilations! Check these out, so that if you ever do go to China, you wouldn’t be too surprised about fresh crap in fish tanks and wild germs that hate soup. Oh, and never order the greenstuff!

Never!
F*** Vegetables

“干菜” means dried vegetables and “类” means type. So as a whole, it should be the dried vegetables section. The translator was way too concerned about the Chinese character “干” which is also a slang for f***.” (Image credits: chinalert.com)

Don’t Order the Greenstuffs!

Image credits: MFinChina

Hand Grenade

Image credits: imgur.com

Slip and Fall Down Carefully!

Image credits: tinypic.com

Husband

Image credits: MFinChina

Beware of Missing Foot

Image credits: Chris Radley

The Wild Germ Hates Soup

Image credits: David Feng

Potato the Crap

Image credits: Andy Stoll

Stupid Beans

Image credits: MFinChina

Grab Me Now!

Image credits: unknown

Whatever

Image credits: AtticDweller

Dumping

Image credits: sousveillance

Wang Had to Burn

Image credits: mursu909

Fresh Crap

Image credits: offbeatchina.com

Cat Ear or..?

Image credits: joshbateman

You Are the Best!

Image credits: imgur.com

Evil Rubbish

Image credits: engrish.com

Poor Duck…

Image credits: offbeatchina.com

One of Those Time Sex Things…

Image credits: keso

No ****ting

Image credits: TrevinC

Beware of Safety

Image credits: Chris Radley

Don’t Be Edible

Image credits: dingadingdang

Whisky&****

Image credits: stefan

Crap Stick

Image credits: mtrank

Deformed

Image credits: megoizzy

Examination

Image credits: imgur.com

No Dis****

Image credits: AtticDweller

Don’t Touch Yourself

Image credits: offbeatchina.com

Racist Park

Image credits: offbeatchina.com

Execution in Progress

Image credits: chinawhisper.com

Reverse Psychology

Image credits: chinawhisper.com

New Flavor

Image credits: imgur.com

Unlike Put Your Shoes On My Face

Image credits: buzzfeed.com

Cheap, Fast & Easy

Image credits: mstaken.com

Do Not Disturb

Image credits: imgur.com

[David Jamieson]

I walked into the doctor's office and suddenly a few fellas were poking at me and making commentary. What I really wanted was custody of a fetal heart, but I guess I got the wrong room. They seemed angry...

[@PLUGO]

Do these count? engrish.com/

[GeneChing]

From China Daily, no less.

Chinglish, amusing or just plain embarrassing?
( bbs.chinadaily.com.cn) Updated: 2015-02-02 08:38

Editor's Note: Is it funny if strangers from other countries mock our attempts to help them on their travels? What are your thoughts on Chinglish? And do you think it's reasonable to expect non-English speaking countries to have perfect English on their public signage? Forum readers share their opinions and you are welcome to add yours.

BlondeAmber (Ireland)

Countries in Europe make sure translations in public places are linguistically correct if there are multilingual signs, and are hastily fixed if they are wrong. It is a matter of respect. China wants to appear international and to those who don't speak English I am sure it does. To the rest it is just laziness not getting things right and slightly contemptuous of foreigners. I would call it a 'back-handed compliment.'





KIyer (Australia)

When it is necessary to communicate to those who do not know Chinese, extra care should be taken to get the translation right. It is shameful to have shoddy translation. Finding better local or blended words to be more accurate or define a new term is very good. There is no one rule or judgment for Chinglish or Indglish or whatever. It depends on the circumstance and application.


Girdyerloins (Spain)

Language purists abound, but language changes. The Arab saying, I believe, is: "the dogs bark, but the caravan moves on." Chinese is my most recent - and most challenging - language and I would love to attain that lofty ideal of fluency whereby I can speak Chinglish.

Think how many words there are in Chinese now which, using Chinese ****nyms, try to approximate words and names from other cultures. I admire what little I know of what is called "martian Chinese", the highly inventive, constantly evolving patois used by young people on the internet to dodge censorship. It is likely to become a language unto itself, another of the hundreds of Chinese sub-dialects. To deny the dynamism of language is to get left behind.


Pleb (China)

Chinglish is great. It is a way for all of us to communicate. Teachers, step out of your square, move forward and embrace the future. I love the variations. Examples: "Soonly", "middlee", "troublee", "foot fingers" and "I will be true heartlee for this job". All of us understand what is meant when we hear Chinglish.

I also find the misspelling of signs (although amusing) actually makes me pay more attention to them. It is really not that hard to grasp the meaning, is it? This is not our country and we must respect our hosts’ kindness in trying to safeguard our well-being and security. Don't knock it. Embrace it. Also someone said they did not like the eating of chicken's feet, "pig's guts" etc. I am always asked what I would like to eat when we go to dinner. You do have a choice when they offer you the menu.



Mixamixa (Finland)

It always amazes me that the people ordering signs do not ask a foreigner if the translation is correct or not? Chinese people trust Baidu Translate more. Sometimes the problem is the company making the signs. These Einsteins can't even copy names, addresses or emails correctly. I once returned a set of business cards three times because of spelling errors. After the third attempt the guy refused to do it again.


Ronny (Australia)

The most important thing is to communicate. Grammar and vocabulary are secondary as long as it gets the message across. "Be careful don't be stupid falling off cliff" and "Please stand back from the railing." The first is just my made up example, but describes quite well the type of sign talked about. It is quite clear, while the second one represents a normal English sign which is not so clear. A native can easily understand either.

Mind Crotch - that should be my Dubstep DJ name.

[-N-]

Just to make things clear.

[Jimbo]

Just to make things clear.

LOL! That almost made my day...

[-N-]

LOL! That almost made my day...

One of the proudest recollections of my brother-in-law was getting kicked out and banished from an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet back when we were in college.

Never underestimate the eating abilities of hungry students.

Some of us were pretty indiscriminant about where we ate. One establishment, the Dynasty Restaurant, was known as the Die Nasty in our group.

[GeneChing]

34 Ridiculous Chinese Character Tattoos Translated
MEANIE CRIME POET HUSBAND HANDS.

Posted on August 2, 2013, at 10:43 a.m.
Ellie Hall
BuzzFeed News Reporter
Kevin Tang
BuzzFeed Staff


1. "What are you up to these days?" "Oh, being a meanie crime poet."

Via spiderdaily.wayi.com.tw

2. Thank you for telling us what kind of hands you have.

Via w.baike.com

3. A chill death metal jam band?

hanzismatter.blogspot.com

4. Whoa there.

Via xinhaiguang2008.blog.sohu.com

5. Stop fishing for compliments!

hanzismatter.blogspot.com

6. Me bite too.

Via epic-chinese-tattoo-fails.tumblr.com

7.

hanzismatter.blogspot.com

8. Cryptic review of Babe 2: Pig in the City.

hanzismatter.blogspot.com

9. I would actually get this.

hanzismatter.blogspot.com

10. This one too.

Via sports.qq.com

continued next post

[GeneChing]

11. This one not so much.


12. I would name my baby this.

Via bbs.tiexue.net

13.

Via spiderdaily.wayi.com.tw

14.

hanzismatter.blogspot.com

15.

hanzismatter.blogspot.com

16. I guess this could be a legit broke-pride tatt.

hanzismatter.blogspot.com

17. I think Shawne Merriman meant it to sound tougher than this.


18. All right, Marat Safin.


19. This sounds like a level in Diablo II.

Via xinhaiguang2008.blog.sohu.com

20. Sure thing, Sean May.

Via sports.espn.go.com

continued next post

[GeneChing]

21. Duuude...


22. I wasn't sure what it was.

Via plchinese.com

23. Ew.

Via epic-chinese-tattoo-fails.tumblr.com

24. At least it's free?

Via hanzismatter.blogspot.com

25. Does not take kindly to the divine mortgage crises.

Via hanzismatter.blogspot.com

26. Great lifestyle brand.

Via hanzismatter.blogspot.com

Tattoos and reverse Chinglish

[GeneChing]

...but totally irresistible.

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Oops this special livery won’t last long! She’s going back to the shop!
(Source: HKADB)

8:23 PM - 18 Sep 2018

Copy editing falls under my job description so this sort of thing amuses the heck out of me. I can totally relate.