http://www.bmezine.com/tattoo/A51012/high/bmepb147728.jpg
苦 means "bitter", "hardship", or "suffering".
The three exact emotions this guy is going through right now.
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you should check out the cups at mcdonalds. They have a bunch of Chineese or Japanesse writing on the cup. It's supposed to say "i'm loving it" but I doubt it's right, seeing as the french is wrong.
ReplyDeleteobviously it cant be translated exactly, because it's slang. but i still wonder what it says?
What does the French says? *Lives in Quebec and has not been to McDo in ages*
ReplyDeletethe chinese slogan for mcdonald's is: 我就喜歡. i means something like "i just like it." there's no real good way to translate, "i'm lovin' it," so i think they did a pretty good job with finding an alternative that works in the target language. but i don't kno if that's what was on the cup you saw, since i don't eat at mcdonald's.
ReplyDeleteMcDonald's should have just used 我愛垃圾 ("I love trash" or "I love crap") as their Chinese slogan. That would be honest and effective.
ReplyDelete"Solve World Hunger With Recycled Burgers"
I hope that guy can "Chi1 ku3"...
ReplyDeleteTian, I'm always curious if you ever hear people AFTER they've learned that their tattoos are incorrectly written, nonsensical, or mean something other than what they wanted. Have any gone back to the person who gave them the tattoo to ask why or to vent? Do they try to have them corrected if that's possible? Perhaps have them removed? Have any engaged an attorney seeking damages? I'd like to read anything that you'd care to share with us.
ReplyDeleteHong Ma,
ReplyDeleteMost reactions I have got from people after they have just found out their tattoo really meant gibberish, the first thing they would ask “what can I change to improve it”.
It is followed by denials of “my tattoo was done in Japanese (or Chinese, vice versa), and your translation is in Chinese (or Japanese, vice versa)”.
Since I always provide them reference links to Zhongwen.com, WWWJDIC and Unihan.org, which have translations in both Chinese and Japanese, they usually come to the realization of they are stuck with their gibberish for a long time.
Of course there are always the colorful anger emails laced with racial slurs and accuse all Asians are together in a conspiracy of keeping other ethnic groups down.
"Of course there are always the colorful anger emails laced with racial slurs and accuse all Asians are together in a conspiracy of keeping other ethnic groups down."
ReplyDeleteHA! Thanks for the info. I love this site -- it never ceases to amaze and it's always hilarious...
(-_-)
"Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteWhat does the French says? *Lives in Quebec and has not been to McDo in ages* "
I may be misremembering, but in French I think it says "j'M ca" where the M is the McDonald's arches. "M" sounds like "aime", get it? So clever...
Actually the French slogan on the McDonald's cup sitting in front of me says "C'est ça que j'm".
ReplyDeleteIn addition, the Spanish was "me encanta" and the German "Ich liebe es." It's all relatively accurate for marketing.
I'm sorry - I don't get the problem here. Given the fact that the character is surrounded in flames, isn't it likely he WANTS it to say "suffering"?
ReplyDeleteTo Anon above:
ReplyDeleteDid you just get off the short bus?!
The tattooed character was incorrectly done.
OK, so it was incorrect. What was it supposed to say, and what does it actually say?
ReplyDeleteIf it's incorrect, but easy to tell what the correct character is, can't one just call that a stylistic difference?
Not trying to be confrontational; genuinely curious.
-Robin
"Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteWhat does the French says? *Lives in Quebec and has not been to McDo in ages* "
The French says "c'est tout ce que j'aime"
(*hates Mc Donald's*)
robin,
ReplyDeletei think the problem is that it isn't all that easily recognizable. and if it said 'sufring' as opposed to 'suffering' in english, it's still recognizable, but i know i wouldnt be happy with a shoddy job. i think that crosses the line between stylistic difference and simply not writing the correct strokes. but thats just what i think =p