The 10 Hilarious Translations from Chinese to English

There never seems to be a lack of examples of the hilarity of poor translations from Chinese to English. Poor translations often happen, because individual Chinese characters, unlike letters, hold their own meaning.

Here I share some really funny Chinese-English translations followed by my translations, do you have any better translations?

1. 好好学习,天天向上。Good good study,day day up.

My translation: Study well(hard) and make progress every day.

2. 怎么是你?怎么老是你?How are you? How old are you?

My translation:why it is you? why it is you again?

3. 你有种,我要给你点颜色瞧瞧。You have seed,I will give you some color to see see.

My translation:You really have guts, I am gonna kick your ass.

4. 你问我,我问谁? You ask me, me ask who?

My translation:You asked me, who should I ask?

5. 咱俩谁跟谁?We two who and who?

My translation: Not a big deal, we’re friends.

Not a big deal, we’re friends.

6. 不三不四 No three no four.

My translation: peculiar or doubtful

7. 马马虎虎  Horse horse tiger tiger.

My translation: careless so-so / more or less

8. (关于一场车祸的描述) One car come, one car go, two car pengpeng, one car died!

My translation: It is a description about a car accident, I expect you can guess what it means.

9. 人山人海 People mountain people sea.

My translation: Be crowded with people or  a large crowd

10. 要钱没有,要命一条!  If you want money,I have no; if you want life,I have one!

My translation:  No money, but only one life!

2 Responses

  1. fortytwo0715 says:

    马虎means careless, but 马马虎虎 means so-so/more or less, doesn’t it…?

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