Serenity: Those Left Behind

yi1 da4 tuo2 da4bian4

• Comics Mandarin translation (simplified/traditional characters): 一大坨大便
• Back-translation of Mandarin: a big lump of excrement
• Phonetic for English speakers: ee da tuo da bien
• Context: Serenity: Those Left Behind #1, Jayne, p. 3, sarcastically to Mal on what the situation is

yi1 da4 tuo2

a big lump of

1. yi1 [pronounced “yi2” before a 4th-tone syllable]: one, a
2. da4: to be big, to be great
3. tuo2 [used only in compound words]: a lump

da4bian4

human excrement, stool

1. da4: to be big, to be great
2. bian4 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: excrement

Hun2dan4!

• Comics Mandarin translation (simplified characters): 浑蛋！ / Traditional characters: 渾蛋！
• Back-translation of Mandarin: Bastard(s)!
• Phonetic for English speakers: Hwun dan!
• Context: Serenity: Those Left Behind #1, [Ott’s Female Crew-Member], p. 7, referring to Mal and probably to Jayne and Zoe as well

hun2dan4

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

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

yao1nü3

• Comics Mandarin translation (simplified/traditional characters): 妖女
• Back-translation of Mandarin: vamp
• Phonetic for English speakers: yao noo
• Context: Serenity: Those Left Behind #1, Jayne, p. 7, to Mal, referring to Ott’s female crew-member

yao1nü3

a fairy enchantress, a vamp, a beautiful woman

1. yao1 [used only in compound words]: bewitching, a demon
2. nü3 [used only in compound words]: a woman

Zhu3 a5, ni3 ming2ming2 zhi1dao5 wo3 shi4 bang1 ni3 zuo4shi4, you4 he2 bi4 zhao3 wo3 ma2fan5 ne5?

• Comics Mandarin translation (simplified characters): 主阿，你明明知道我是帮你做事，又何必找我麻烦呢？ / Traditional characters: 主阿，你明明知道我是幫你做事，又何必找我麻煩呢？
• Back-translation of Mandarin: O Lord, You are obviously aware that I assist You in doing Your work; oh why must You cause me such trouble?
• Phonetic for English speakers: Joo ah, nee ming ming jee dao wuh shr bang nee tzuo shr, yo huh bee jao wuh ma fan nuh?
• Context: Serenity: Those Left Behind #1, Book, p. 9, addressing God after everyone leaves church

Zhu3 a5

O Lord

1. zhu3: God, Lord
2. a5: [marker of direct address of someone (vocative)]

ni3 ming2ming2 zhi1dao5 wo3 shi4 bang1 ni3 zuo4shi4

you are obviously aware that I assist you in doing your work

1. ni3 ming2ming2 zhi1dao5: you obviously are aware
   1. ni3: you (singular)
   2. ming2ming2: clearly, obviously
      1. ming2 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: [repeated] clear, obvious
   3. zhi1dao5: to know, to be aware of
      1. zhi1: to know
      2. dao4: a way
2. wo3 shi4 bang1: it is I that assists
   1. wo3: I
   2. shi4: [puts focus on the sentence subject]; [literally: to be]
   3. bang1: to help, to assist
3. ni3 zuo4shi4: you work
   1. ni3: you (singular)
   2. zuo4shi4: to work
      1. zuo4: to do, to make
      2. shi4: matters, business

you4 he2 bi4 zhao3 wo3 ma2fan5 ne5?

oh why must you cause me such trouble?

1. you4 he2 bi4: oh why must
   1. you4: [used in rhetorical question to emphasize negative tone], (once) again (for past actions)
   2. he2: why?
   3. bi4: must
2. zhao3 wo3 ma2fan5: to cause me trouble, to pick on me
   1. zhao3 ma2fan5: to cause someone trouble, to pick on someone
      1. zhao3: to seek
      2. ma2fan5: to bother, to trouble someone
         1. ma2: to be numbed, to be pockmarked; [literally: hemp]
         2. fan2: to trouble, to be troubled/annoyed
      3. wo3: me [indirect object]
3. ne5: [marker for questions (about something already mentioned or for emphasis)]

Kao4!

• Comics Mandarin translation (simplified/traditional characters): 靠！
• Back-translation of Mandarin: F***!
• Phonetic for English speakers: Kao!
• Context: Serenity: Those Left Behind #1, Mal, p. 10, after Ott and Ott’s crew escape

kao4

[offensive] to f*** [see note below]

Kan4 wo3men5 zen3me5 si3 ba5!

• Comics Mandarin translation (simplified characters): 看我们怎么死吧！ / Traditional characters: 看我們怎麼死吧！
• Back-translation of Mandarin: Watch how we die!
• Phonetic for English speakers: Kan wuh-mun tzun-muh ss bah!
• Context: Serenity: Those Left Behind #1, Wash, p. 17, as prepares to topple water tower

kan4

to look at, to watch

wo3men5 zen3me5 si3

how we die

1. wo3men5: we
   1. wo3: I
   2. men5: [suffix for human plural words]
2. zen3me5: how, why
   1. zen3: how, why
   2. me5: [suffix for question words]
3. si3: to die

ba5

[mild-exclamation marker], let’s

shen2me5 gong1zuo4 dou1 mei2you3

• Comics Mandarin translation (simplified characters): 什么工作都没有 / Traditional characters: 什麼工作都沒有
• Back-translation of Mandarin: that doesn’t have any jobs
• Phonetic for English speakers: shuh-muh gong tzuo do may yo
• Context: Serenity: Those Left Behind #2, Mal, p. 14, to Inara describing remoteness of location

shen2me5 gong1zuo4 dou1 mei2you3 [de5]

that doesn’t have any jobs

1. shen2me5 (something) dou1: any (something)
   1. shen2me5 [usually pronounced “she2me5”]: something, anything
      1. shen2 [used only in the compound word shen2me5]
      2. me5: [suffix for question words]
   2. dou1: all
2. gong1zuo4: a job, work [noun]
   1. gong1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: work [noun]
   2. zuo4: to make, to do
3. mei2you3: to not have, there is not
   1. mei2: not
   2. you3: to have, there is
4. [understood: de5 的 : [noun-modifier marker] [here: integrated adjectival clause (restrictive relative clause)]]

kao4

• Comics Mandarin translation (simplified/traditional characters): 靠
• Back-translation of Mandarin: f***
• Phonetic for English speakers: kao
• Context: Serenity: Those Left Behind #2, Mal, p. 15, to Book referring to a tough situation

kao4

[offensive] to f*** [see note below]

Guai1guai5 long2 di5 dong1!

• Comics Mandarin translation (simplified characters): 乖乖隆的东！ / Traditional characters: 乖乖隆的東！
• Back-translation of Mandarin: Good gracious!
• Phonetic for English speakers: Gwai-gwai long dee dong!
• Context: Serenity: Those Left Behind #2, Wash, p. 19, on seeing the graveyard of spaceships

guai1guai5 long2 di5 dong1

[regional idiomatic exclamation for surprise]

1. guai1guai5: [colloquial] Good gracious!
   1. guai1: [repeated with neutral 5th tone] to be well-behaved
2. long2 di5 dong1: [transliteration for expression in another variety of Chinese]
   1. long2: [phonetically used Chinese character]; [literally: [used only in compound words] glorious, prosperous]
   2. di5 [regional pronunciation of de5]: [phonetically used Chinese character]; [literally: [various grammatical uses]]
   3. dong1: [phonetically used Chinese character]; [literally: east]

bu4yao4 ming4 de5 su4du4

• Comics Mandarin translation (simplified/traditional characters): 不要命的速度
• Back-translation of Mandarin: life-risking speed [see note below]
• Phonetic for English speakers: boo yao ming duh soo doo
• Context: Serenity: Those Left Behind #3, Wash, p. 14, to Mal about the ship’s speed

bu4yao4 ming4 de5

life-risking, fearless; [literally: that doesn’t want life]

1. bu4yao4: to not want, doesn’t want
   1. bu4 [pronounced “bu2” before a 4th-tone syllable]: not
   2. yao4: to want
2. ming4: life
3. de5: [noun-modifier marker] [here: integrated adjectival clause (restrictive relative clause)]

su4du4

speed, velocity

1. su4 [used only in compound words]: speed, velocity
2. du4: [suffix making abstract nouns], -ness, -ity

Wo3 zai4 qian2shi4 yi1ding4 re3dao4 shen2me5 ren2 le5 ba5…

• Comics Mandarin translation (simplified characters): 我在前世一定惹到什么人了吧… / Traditional characters: 我在前世一定惹到什麼人了吧…
• Back-translation of Mandarin: I surely annoyed someone or other in a past life, didn’t I...
• Phonetic for English speakers: Wuh tzai chien shr ee-ding ruh dao shuh-muh run luh bah...
• Context: Serenity: Those Left Behind #3, Mal, p. 16, on seeing Blue Glove ship

wo3 zai4 qian2shi4

I was in a past life

1. wo3: I
2. zai4: to live, to exist
3. qian2shi4: [Buddhism] a past life, a former incarnation
   1. qian2: former, preceding
   2. shi4 [used only in compound words (or as a family name)]: a life, an incarnation

yi1ding4

surely, certainly

1. yi1 [for this meaning, used only in compound words; pronounced “yi2” before a 4th-tone syllable]: all
2. ding4: definite, certainly

re3dao4

to annoy / to provoke (focus on result/goal)

1. re3: to annoy / to provoke (focus on action)
2. dao4: [end-result marker]

shen2me5 ren2

someone or other

1. shen2me5 [usually pronounced “she2me5”]: some or other
   1. shen2 [used only in the compound word shen2me5]
   2. me5: [suffix for question words]
2. ren2: a person

le5

[completion marker]

ba5

[tag-question marker]

Ning2jing4

• Simplified characters: 宁静 / Traditional characters: 寧靜
• Back-translation of Mandarin: Tranquil
• Translated from the English: Serenity [Serenity (movie) version (“Serenity” translation comparison)]
• Context: Serenity: Those Left Behind #1–3, Visible Chinese, front cover, in logo

ning2jing4

to be peaceful, to be tranquil

1. ning2 [used only in compound words (or as a place name)]: peaceful, tranquil
2. jing4: to be calm, to be still

Dai4jin4

• Simplified characters: 带劲 / Traditional characters: 帶勁
• Back-translation of Mandarin: Of Interest
• Context (1): Serenity: Those Left Behind #1–3, Visible Chinese, front cover, behind credits
• Context (2): Serenity: Those Left Behind #1 & #2, Visible Chinese, back matter, with “Transmissions from the Cortex”

dai4jin4

interesting, of interest

1. dai4: to bring, to take
2. jin4: [colloquial] interest [noun]

Li3 Yi4 Yong3 Ren2; Zhi4 Yi4

• Simplified characters: 礼 义 勇 仁 · 志 义 / Traditional characters: 礼 義 勇 仁 · 志 義 [ 礼 is variant form of standard traditional 禮 and became the simplified character]
• Back-translation of Mandarin: Propriety, Righteousness, Courageous, Benevolence; Ambition, Propriety
• Context: Serenity: Those Left Behind #1, Visible Chinese, p. 3, Ott’s face and neck tattoos; last two characters near mouth

li3

[for this meaning, used only in compound words]: propriety, courtesy

yi4

[used only in compound words]: righteousness, justice

yong3

[used only in compound words]: brave, courageous

ren2

[written] benevolence

zhi4

ambition, aspiration

yi4

[used only in compound words]: righteousness, justice

Yi4 Yong3 Zhen1 Li3

• Simplified characters: 义 勇 真 礼 / Traditional characters: 義 勇 真 礼 [ 礼 is variant form of standard traditional 禮 and became the simplified character]
• Back-translation of Mandarin: Righteousness, Courageous, True, Propriety
• Context: Serenity: Those Left Behind #1, Visible Chinese, p. 4, Ott’s face tattoos

yi4

[used only in compound words]: righteousness, justice

yong3

[used only in compound words]: brave, courageous

zhen1

to be true, [Daoism] a person’s original (unspoiled) character

li3

[for this meaning, used only in compound words]: propriety, courtesy

Zhen1 Ren2

• Simplified/Traditional characters: 真仁
• Back-translation of Mandarin: True Benevolence
• Context: Serenity: Those Left Behind #3, Visible Chinese, p. 20, on wall hanging in Mal’s quarters

zhen1

to be true, [Daoism] a person’s original (unspoiled) character

ren2

[written] benevolence

Jie2wei3

• Simplified characters: 结尾 / Traditional characters: 結尾
• Back-translation of Mandarin: The End
• Context: Serenity: Those Left Behind #3, Visible Chinese, p. 22, with “Serenity: Those Left Behind”

jie2wei3

an ending, an end

1. jie2: to conclude, to settle (an account)
2. wei3 [for this meaning, used only in compound words]: a conclusion