Another Short History of Linguistics (56)

Another benefit of one sound one character but many meanings is when translating, the Chinese can translate both sound and meaning together. When talking about radical, I have said that every one of the Mandarin employed 1200 sounds have many meanings. If the original English word had few sounds, they can find few characters with the similar meaning and similar sounds. For instance,

Hippy or hippie translates as 嬉皮士 it sounds like Xi Pi Shi, while the meaning is ‘flower people’.

Viagra: translates as伟哥 it sounds like Wei Ge and the meaning is ‘great buddy’

Cool: translates as酷 is sounds like Ku and the meaning is ‘cruel’

Talk Show: translates as 脱口秀 it sounds like Tuo Kou Xiu it means ‘a show that released from mouth.’

DDVP (dimethyl-dichloro-vinl-phosphate): translates as “敌敌畏” it sounds as Di Di Wei and it means ‘enemy scare’。

TOFFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): translates as托福 it sounds like Tuo-Fu and it means ‘may you lucky’.

Romantic: translates as浪漫 it sounds like Lan-Man and it means ‘sexy excessive’

Show: translates as 秀it sounds like Xiu and it means ‘a plant start to blossom’

Hacker: translates as 黑客 it sounds like Hei-ke and it means ‘black guest’.

Gene: translates as 基因 it sounds like Ji-yin and it means ‘basic element’

Bungee: translates as 蹦极it sounds like Beng-ji and it means ‘jump the utmost’

Mini- skirt: translates as迷你裙 it sounds like Mi-ni-qun and it means ‘enticing-you skirt’

Tank: translates as 坦克 it sounds like Tan-ke and it means ‘plain overcome’

Engine: translates as引擎 it sounds like Yin-qing and it means ‘Tow-lift’  

Bowling: translates as 保龄 it sounds like Bao-Ling and it means ‘Preserve age’

Bar: translates as 酒吧 it sounds like Jiu-ba and it means ‘Alcohol-bar’

Coca Cola: translates as可口可乐 it sounds like Ke-kou-ke-leand it means ‘Adapt-mouth-adapt-happy’

Quinine: translates as 奎宁　it sounds like Kui-ning and it means ‘Body-peace ’

Benz: translates as 奔驰 it sound like Ben-Chi and it means ‘Running-fast’

Beatles: translates as 披头士 it sounds like Pei-tou-shi and it means ‘Unkempt-person’

Beer: translates as 啤酒 it sounds like Pi-jiu and it means ‘Pi-alcohol-drink ’

Guitar: translates as吉他 it sounds like Ji-ta and it means ‘Good-luck-else’

Mummy: translates as木乃伊 it sounds like Mu-nai-yi and it means ‘It-like-timber’

Blog: translates as 博客 it sounds like Bo-ke and it means ‘Lot-of-customers’

Shampoo: translates as香波 it sounds like Xiang-bo and it means ‘Good-smell-wave’

Coup d’état: translates as苦跌打 it sounds like Ku-die-da and it means ‘Very-hurting-knocks-and-falls’