LOST in Translations - 140 Laughable Photos
As professional Chinese translators, we managed to collected a great many examples (140 photos) about what could happen when the translations were handled in wrong hands (or even by machines, in many cases). These funny translations were categorized into 10 different groups, corresponding to the various scenarios you may find yourself in when travelling in China. Check them out below and enjoy some good laugh:
- Let's Try Some Exotic Food (19 pics)
- Excellent Services at the Banks (7 pics)
- Sick in Hospitals (10 pics)
- Nice Hotels to Spend my Nights (10 pics)
- Shopping in Markets (14 pics)
- Another Day in the Park (22 pics)
- Lost between the Road Signs (22 pics)
- Places to Pee & Poo (13 pics)
- Travelling Around (8 pics)
- Other Funny Stuff (15 pics)
"Hint Mild and Fragrant"
"Old People Wang is Auspicious"
"Liquid the male scholar is nursed"
"The hotel is that you provide all above commodity"
The original Chinese text actually meant:
"Hint Mild and Fragrant" = Friendly Reminder
"Old People Wang is Auspicious" = Wang Lao Ji (the brand name of a herbal drink)
"Liquid the male scholar is nursed" = Hygiene Liquid for Gentleman
"The hotel is that you provide all above commodity"=We can provide these items for you...
Have three human lives and have four human lives, many human lives
OH man, I just wonder what happened to those "many human lives"...
The original Chinese text actually meant: Dorms shared by 3 - 4 persons or more.
No Smoking The Bed
The original Chinese text actually meant: Please don't smoke in bed
SMALLPOX
Be ready to face some serious consequences if you accidently press this button...
The original Chinese text actually meant: Ceiling Lights
HAND GRENADE
If this hotel really catches a fire, people could die either way...
The original Chinese text actually meant: Fire Extinguisher
Two Building Dining Rooms
The original Chinese text actually meant: Restaurant on the 2nd Floor
INSERT TO GAIN POWER
The original Chinese text actually meant: Chip Facing Inside to Power On
Love Elevator
Is "Love" a noun or a verb?
The original Chinese text actually meant: Elevator For Those in Need
You are using the toilet everyday to do cleaning and disinfection treatment
That's what you are supposed to do in a self-service hostel.
The original Chinese text actually meant: This toilet bowel is being cleaned and sterilized everday.
Let your head knocked (here)
Slgippy floor ahead becare for
The original Chinese text actually meant:
Watch Your Head
Wet Floor Ahead
TEN COMPILED LISTS OF FUNNY TRANSLATIONS TO MAKE YOUR DAY:
We all love a good laugh, and when it comes to laughter doses brought out by funny translation fails, China never failed to deliver. Yes, China is a great country with marvelous scenic spots, fascinating long history and modern achievements, and it will leave the visitors with many beautiful memories and impressions, just like many other great nations. However, many English-speaking western tourists might at times get surprised / amused when they see some funny translations here and there.
On these pages are some of the most hilarious and ridiculous translation fails we could collect and present to you. Photos show the hilarious results of translations gone wrong, with signs, menus, and even brand names. Some of them are so strange that they could have your brain burning as you try to figure out what the original Chinese text was all about. For your convenience, we provided the meaning (or the intended purpose) of the Chinese source characters below each picture, and you will see how wrong the so-called "English translation" had gone.
In China, we usually call these bad Chinese>English translations as "Chinglish". Now the Chinese government has vowed to "cracked down" on the 'Chinglish' (especially in public places), and is rolling out a campaign to wipe out these extremely funny bad English translations that could somehow cause damage to our country's image / reputation. Hopefully, you won't see these types of hilarious language issues again in the near future. Before that, you can still bookmark this web page and share your laughter with some friends. :-)