The G20 summitt is coming to Hangzhou in September, and China is doing everything it can do to prepare — including shutting down Shanghai's factories to keep the skies as pollution-free as possible.
To welcome the influx of foreigners arriving to Hangzhou, the city government is distributing an official English-language booklet to residents in order to help them practice their language skills. The booklet uses transliterations of English words into Chinese.
Here's a screenshot of the booklet that's been circulating online:
We've compiled the phrases into pinyin here:
1. 歪看木土杭州
Wāikànmù tǔ Hángzhōu
"Welcome to Hangzhou."2. 杭州，某斯特，不优特服四体 因掐那
Hángzhōu, mǒusītè, bùyōutèfú sìtǐ yīn qiānà
"Hangzhou, most beautiful city in China."3. 杭州，啊 派爱那达斯 俺 俄思
Hángzhōu, ā pàiàinàdásī ǎn ésī
"Hangzhou, a paradise on earth."4. 杭州，万 澳芙 诶特 奥付 诶寻特 开皮头斯 因掐那
Hángzhōu, wàn àofú éitè àofù éixúntè kāipítóusī yīn qiānà
"Hangzhou, one of the eight ancient capitals in China."5. 外斯特 雷克，百四特 爱去爱可顺恩 因 杭州
Wàisītè léikè, bǎisìtè àiqùàikěshùnēn yīn Hángzhōu
"West Lake, the best attraction in Hangzhou."6. 我的 卡去罗哦 海睿提距
Wǒde kǎqùluōó hǎiruìtíjù
"World Cultural Heritage."
Web users have reportedly mocked the phonetic phrases, with some poking fun at their gibberish translations. (For example, the phrase used for "Welcome to Hangzhou" literally translates to "crooked look wood earth Hangzhou"). Some have also questioned whether foreigners will actually be able to understand this "alien language."
[Image via Cankaoxiaoxi, h/t Chris Buckley]
0 User Comments