Apr 26, 2011 18:49
13 yrs ago
2 viewers *
Chinese term
问渠哪得清如许
Chinese to English
Art/Literary
History
问渠哪得请如许, 为有源头活水来.
From an article about the history of a Chinese university.
From an article about the history of a Chinese university.
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
8 hrs
Selected
Asking how the water acquires its purity? The answer lies in the lively source of the springhead
Literal translation
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Note added at 9 hrs (2011-04-27 04:37:06 GMT)
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渠 -1. third-person pronoun
2. 【說文】水所居也。即水流之体。
哪 - a question word in Simplified Chinese (not a typo, in spite of its being a borrowed character from an ancient character which has different meaning );哪得 means "how" or "how come."
The allusion to these two lines serves to explain the cultural origin of the University in Shandong, the origin of ancient 齐鲁文化. So the metaphor is:
山东大学，学统纯正，源远流长，来自古老的齐鲁文化荟萃之地。
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Note added at 9 hrs (2011-04-27 04:37:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
渠 -1. third-person pronoun
2. 【說文】水所居也。即水流之体。
哪 - a question word in Simplified Chinese (not a typo, in spite of its being a borrowed character from an ancient character which has different meaning );哪得 means "how" or "how come."
The allusion to these two lines serves to explain the cultural origin of the University in Shandong, the origin of ancient 齐鲁文化. So the metaphor is:
山东大学，学统纯正，源远流长，来自古老的齐鲁文化荟萃之地。
Note from asker:
| Wow, this came from something written by the president of Shan Dong University, and he was referring to the university's quality as a result of being planted on the 'fertile' soil of Qi and Lu. |
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "All the answers were very helpful and good. Thank you"
26 mins
Ambrose Li
Canada
Canada
Canada
I’m not afraid of LaTeX!
Works in: English, Cantonese (Yue Chinese) to English, Chinese to English
Chinese term (edited):
问渠那得清如许
if you wonder how it could be so clear
The referenced page translates it into modern Chinese as:
若要問這水為何能這樣清澈？
The two problematic words were probably
渠 - third person singular pronoun (cf. Cantonese 佢)
哪 - typo for 那
若要問這水為何能這樣清澈？
The two problematic words were probably
渠 - third person singular pronoun (cf. Cantonese 佢)
哪 - typo for 那
+1
6 hrs
How can it be so clear and cool?
这是诗歌翻译大师许渊冲先生对全诗的译文：
There lies a glassy oblong pool,
Where light and shade pursue their course.
How can it be so clear and cool?
For water fresh comes from its source.
《中国古诗精品三百首》，北京大学出版社 2004年出版
原诗：
半亩方塘一鉴开，
天光云影共徘徊。
问渠哪得清如许，
为有源头活水来。
There lies a glassy oblong pool,
Where light and shade pursue their course.
How can it be so clear and cool?
For water fresh comes from its source.
《中国古诗精品三百首》，北京大学出版社 2004年出版
原诗：
半亩方塘一鉴开，
天光云影共徘徊。
问渠哪得清如许，
为有源头活水来。
1 day 12 hrs
Francis Fine
United States
United States
Native in Chinese
&
English
Works in field
United States
Native in: Chinese 
, English
Works in: Chinese to English, English to Chinese, German to Chinese, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
3
I asked the water: How can you be so clear? It said: For running water comes from the fountainhead
All colleagues have correct answers. I only tried to mimic what seems to be the format of the stanza: - dialog.
The "target term" line is not long enough for too many letters.
Another attempt at mimicking the poem: "How can it be so crystal clear? Because there's running water from the very fountainhead.
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Note added at 1 day12 hrs (2011-04-28 07:04:05 GMT)
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Expert poetry translator Xu Wenyuan's translation is very good.
The "target term" line is not long enough for too many letters.
Another attempt at mimicking the poem: "How can it be so crystal clear? Because there's running water from the very fountainhead.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day12 hrs (2011-04-28 07:04:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Expert poetry translator Xu Wenyuan's translation is very good.
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