Apr 22, 2014 20:03
10 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Chinese term
United Kingdom
康庄大道
Chinese to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
Fiction novel
后来在电视里转播某届世乒赛，我看到和曾经我在体校一起练的一个天津小伙子得了世界杯亚军，我跟我老妈说，有奖杯和奖金的啊！金的啊！沉啊！钱啊！名啊！当年，在体校的时候，他正手弧圈球的稳定性还没我好呢。我妈说，那是人家走狗屎运，你傻啊，你知道这种狗屎运的概率有多大吗？辛荑和他的假日本爸爸说起王菲靠唱歌每年上千万的进项，黄芪和他老妈说起范曾每平方尺5万块的润格，他们从父母那里得到的说法和我得到的基本类似：所谓前途，是条康庄大道，不是一扇窄门。走窄门的，基本是傻屄。
The main character, Qiu Shui, wants to become either a writer or a table tennis player. He sees a guy from Tianjin (who he used to play with) win a table tennis competition on television and he thinks that this is proof that he himself would be good enough to make it big in the table tennis arena. His mom thinks that he would never be that lucky. She and some other parents of that generation all have one saying to describe this situation "所谓前途，是条康庄大道，不是一扇窄门。" Right now my translation is "Your prospects are good on the wide roads, not the narrow ones. If you take a narrow road, you’re a total idiot." But I'm not sure that's the best possible translation. Any suggestions would be great!
For more info you can see this website:
http://www.fengtang.com/novels/beijing/1234774439.shtml
The main character, Qiu Shui, wants to become either a writer or a table tennis player. He sees a guy from Tianjin (who he used to play with) win a table tennis competition on television and he thinks that this is proof that he himself would be good enough to make it big in the table tennis arena. His mom thinks that he would never be that lucky. She and some other parents of that generation all have one saying to describe this situation "所谓前途，是条康庄大道，不是一扇窄门。" Right now my translation is "Your prospects are good on the wide roads, not the narrow ones. If you take a narrow road, you’re a total idiot." But I'm not sure that's the best possible translation. Any suggestions would be great!
For more info you can see this website:
http://www.fengtang.com/novels/beijing/1234774439.shtml
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +1 | more options for life |
Meng Fang
|
| 5 | a brilliant future |
Min Xuanping
|
| 3 +1 | avenue of opportunity |
Aaron Gilkison (X)
|
| 4 | a wide and open road |
David Lin
|
| 4 | a highway leading everywhere |
gambheyhey
|
Proposed translations
+1
37 mins
Selected
more options for life
“康庄大道” here actually means “more choices for life”. If one option does not work out, you can pick another one but the return for any option is low.
“窄门”means “only one and dedicated option for life”. The return will be very high if one succeed swith this option. But once failed, he/she is left with no other choices.
So, all in all, this is the same meaning as an English saying “Low risk, low return. High risk, high return.”
That being said, I think your translation is pretty good. But you may also consider the following translation by meaning of the sentence.
“Your future will be brighter if you leave yourself with more options for life, rather than being stuck on one.”
“窄门”means “only one and dedicated option for life”. The return will be very high if one succeed swith this option. But once failed, he/she is left with no other choices.
So, all in all, this is the same meaning as an English saying “Low risk, low return. High risk, high return.”
That being said, I think your translation is pretty good. But you may also consider the following translation by meaning of the sentence.
“Your future will be brighter if you leave yourself with more options for life, rather than being stuck on one.”
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks a lot! I like that this option is easiest for my readers to understand. I don't think the metaphor is needed at this point and I think it would be better to make the text comprehensible."
+1
3 hrs
avenue of opportunity
"Having prospects means you walk along the avenue of opportunity and avoid the dark side alleys."
Hope that helps some!
Hope that helps some!
5 hrs
Min Xuanping
China
China
Native in Chinese
China
Bring you reoccurring business!
Native in: Chinese (Variant: Mandarin) 
Works in: English to Chinese, Chinese to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
2
a brilliant future
The "康庄大道" means that a person is on a good way leading him to a brilliant futue.
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Note added at 5 hrs (2014-04-23 01:53:34 GMT)
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http://baike.baidu.com/subview/111104/11122368.htm?fr=aladdi...
宽阔平坦，四通八达，光明的大路。比喻美好光明的前途。
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Note added at 5 hrs (2014-04-23 01:55:44 GMT)
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It is a metphor.
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Note added at 5 hrs (2014-04-23 01:53:34 GMT)
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http://baike.baidu.com/subview/111104/11122368.htm?fr=aladdi...
宽阔平坦，四通八达，光明的大路。比喻美好光明的前途。
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Note added at 5 hrs (2014-04-23 01:55:44 GMT)
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It is a metphor.
19 hrs
a wide and open road
康庄 = wide and open = thoroughfare with more opportunities as opposed to a narrow path with less space for developing one's talents (and making money).
Keep the metaphor of road.
Your prospects are good on a wide and open road not a narrow path. Those who walk a narrow path are idiots.
Hope this helps.
Keep the metaphor of road.
Your prospects are good on a wide and open road not a narrow path. Those who walk a narrow path are idiots.
Hope this helps.
11 hrs
a highway leading everywhere
According to the dictionary, 康庄大道 literally means 宽阔平坦，四通八达的大路 (a smooth, wide road leading to and from many places), with the connotation of a bright future.
所谓前途，是条康庄大道，不是一扇窄门。Roughly translated:
A so-called bright future is to be pursued on a highway leading everywhere, not through a narrow doorway.
BTW, your translation of 傻屄 may be way too civilized. I am sure you can find what 屄 means in the dictionary.
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Note added at 2 days5 hrs (2014-04-25 01:15:08 GMT) Post-grading
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I can't believe the f-word (i am using euphemism here simply because I don't know whether it is a taboo in this forum) is still a problem in the literature works in the US, a country where Tropic of Cancer has been read and read for decades. Maybe it's you, dear Michelle.
所谓前途，是条康庄大道，不是一扇窄门。Roughly translated:
A so-called bright future is to be pursued on a highway leading everywhere, not through a narrow doorway.
BTW, your translation of 傻屄 may be way too civilized. I am sure you can find what 屄 means in the dictionary.
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Note added at 2 days5 hrs (2014-04-25 01:15:08 GMT) Post-grading
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I can't believe the f-word (i am using euphemism here simply because I don't know whether it is a taboo in this forum) is still a problem in the literature works in the US, a country where Tropic of Cancer has been read and read for decades. Maybe it's you, dear Michelle.
Note from asker:
| Thank you for the note about 傻B. I'm still deciding how many times I should put the f-word in the English translation, because it is very strong in the US and I do not want to alienate readers. But you have made a good point. |
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