That mysterious person in the pilot episode by DesktopHippie

FIREFLY CHINESE TRANSLATIONS

That mysterious person in the pilot episode

POSTED BY: DESKTOPHIPPIE
UPDATED: Saturday, March 3, 2007 16:21
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Friday, November 17, 2006 6:41 AM

DESKTOPHIPPIE

...the one I use as my avatar. I've just realised that I have no clue what's written on her face.

Has anyone ever mentioned it? Can anyone read it? I'd kinda like to know.

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Friday, November 17, 2006 8:21 AM

MAVOURNEEN

Hey there Ms DTH-

While the site was acting funky ( what's new? ) I did a little research and came up with this:
http://fireflychinese.kevinsullivansite.net/episode1.html

Kevin Sullivan's Chinese translations are what are in Finding Serenity, so I assume this is correct. The reference is 1/4 down the page, under Serenity (episode), Visual Chinese.

The tattoo reads: Shou bu gan jia jia

Shou3 bu4 gan3 jia1 jia4

"The hand dares not hike the price."

Ummm...okay. I guess that's open for interpretation. What do you think that means?

DTH.

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Friday, November 17, 2006 8:24 AM

DESKTOPHIPPIE

Wow! That's... totally not what I was expecting!

I'm guessing it either means that she's a slave, and that's the motto/byline/whatever of the person selling her, or she's an unregistered companion and is letting her clients know upfront that her rates are non-negotiable.

Much to ponder. Thanks a million!

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Friday, November 17, 2006 8:28 AM

AMITON

I'd go a little different direction. It was seen in a mercantile court. Since it seemed to be an uncommon kind of thing, I'd say that it has to do with her being a merchant who did something naughty with the goods and ended up getting branded for it.

At least that's my theory...

Amiton.

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Friday, November 17, 2006 8:30 AM

MAVOURNEEN

Whoa. Good Theory!

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Friday, November 17, 2006 8:32 AM

DESKTOPHIPPIE

Yeah, I like that theory. It always made me wonder, the way she was just sitting there, not doing anything and not looking particularly interested in what was going on around her, when everyone else was so busy. I'm guessing that was on purpose, and Joss didn't just focus on a bored extra!

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Friday, November 17, 2006 8:55 AM

SIRI

I've always found that image fascinating but my impression (not having given it a lot of thought) was that "Wow! What a gutsy thing to do tatooing all that stuff on your face." I guess some of the other replies are more accurate. Still, it's a very cool shot.

"They're here."

Siri

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Friday, November 17, 2006 10:03 AM

AMITON

I've always wondered about that shot, too. However, something I didn't realize until you posted the enlarged picture was that the Chinese letters are written sideways - e.g. the bottoms of the letters are toward her ear and the tops of the letters toward the nose. That seems to force the reading of the letters from left to right - or from bottom to top with reference to the face.

If I remember correctly, isn't it acceptable for Chinese to be written left to right, but it's traditionally top to bottom? Columns right to left, even? Or am I thinking of Japanese? (or, option 3, I'm retarded and my assertion has no basis in reality)

Amiton.

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Saturday, November 18, 2006 8:29 AM

PIRATECAT

Being an ex sailor I'd say she's gang property probably a hooker for the Tongs. Make sure you pay not get ruff or you may end up in a river.

Is this some kind of warning.

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Saturday, March 3, 2007 3:07 AM

RAINMAKER

Yeah, Chinese traditionally is written top to bottom. But I think it's become colloquial to write left to write. Either way is understandable though,

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Saturday, March 3, 2007 3:55 AM

SISTER

"The hand dares not hike the price"....I think she's a clerk for a merchant and that since the words are on her face it's meant to let buyers know she WILL be honest and not overcharge?

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Saturday, March 3, 2007 12:56 PM

HELL'S KITTEN

I always thought she was part of the gang that preceded her....

And instead of "Hand does not dare to increase price" being a promise to her customer, I thought it was a warning to merchants.

*shrug*

Whatever the case may be, I've always liked her.

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Saturday, March 3, 2007 4:21 PM

FLORALBUNNY

I've always loved that shot, too.

Translation could indicate that she will
not put her thumb on the scale (an old
way of cheating a customer) or could be
a punishment for having done so already.

Do we have a source in the production
company who tells us what the various
writings say?

bun
~Bastards tattooed my turtle~
~We aim to exponentiate~
~Who is Bill Pardy?~

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