Wacky Phonetics: English translated into Chinese in less than 5 minutes

[Joe Carillo]

Just in case you are going to China or meeting with Chinese business associates or friends sometime soon, here are quick sample lessons in translating English into Chinese. They definitely won’t make you score points on felicity of thought, but they surely would elicit wild guffaws for your phonetic astuteness.

ENGLISH PHRASE                 CHINESE TRANSLATION

It’s very dark in here.                           Wai So Dim?

Small Horse                                         Tai Ni Po Ni

See me A.S.A.P.                                   Kum Hia Nao

Stupid Man                                          Dum Gai

Are you harboring a fugitive?                 Hu Yu Hai Ding?

Has your flight been delayed?                 Hao Long Wei Ting?

Your price is too high!                             No Bai De Thing!

Did you go to the beach?                         Wai Yu So Tan?

I bumped into a coffee table.                  Ai Bang Mai Ni

I think you need a facelift.                          Chin Tu Fat

I am not guilty.                                          Wai Hang Mi?

That was an unauthorized execution.           Lin Ching

This is a tow away zone.                           No Pah King

Do you know the lyrics to the Macarena?   Wai Yu Sing Dum Song?

You are not very bright.                           Yu So Dum

I thought you were on a diet.                   Wai Yu Mun Ching?

I got this for free.                                   Ai No Pei

Please, stay a while longer.                           Wai Go Nao?

Our meeting was scheduled for next week.   Wai Yu Kum Nao

They have arrived.                                   Hia Dei Kum

Stay out of sight.                                   Lei Lo

He’s cleaning his automobile.                   Wa Shing Ka

—From English Language Smart Words

BONUS: CHINESE SIGNBOARDS WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS
(Posted March 10, 2017)