Chinese translation for chili cookoff

January 13, 2017 9:32 PM

My dad would like a Chinese translation of this phrase, as you might see it on a sign: ALL HAIL THE ORANGE EMPEROR. Mandarin or Cantonese is fine, he just wants it to look cool as a sign and translate accurately if someone can read it.

I told him if anyone could help, AskMe could! Thanks, y'all.

posted by fiercecupcake to Writing & Language (12 answers total)

I would go with 橙皇萬歲 ("long live the orange emperor", or "may the orange emperor live 10000 years")
posted by btfreek at 10:33 PM on January 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

(which is 橙皇万岁 in simplified chinese, which might be helpful/easier if you're hand writing on a sign and don't care about the simplified/traditional distinction)
posted by btfreek at 10:39 PM on January 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

Bonus points for yelling this out loud three times : "Chung? Hwong? One! Sway!"
posted by metaseeker at 11:22 PM on January 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

橙皇万岁 is what I would go with as well, and if you're going to yell it out loud as per metaseeker's suggestion, take note that the punctuation given is absolutely essential. "Chung?" and "Hwong?" must be said as quizzically as possible, and "One! Sway!" exclaimed with as much enthusiasm as you can muster. Trust us.
posted by satoshi at 12:28 AM on January 14, 2017 [3 favorites]

And for extra verisimilitude* follow it up with an equally emphatic "One Sway! One Sway! One One Sway!"

*source: all of my mom's cheesy TVB period dramas
posted by btfreek at 12:38 AM on January 14, 2017 [5 favorites]

I don't understand the relation to chili, but now I really want this sign.
posted by wym at 1:18 AM on January 14, 2017 [2 favorites]

Wan is pronounced like "won" as in "wonton", not "one".
posted by banishedimmortal at 3:24 AM on January 14, 2017 [2 favorites]

This is a fun one because [NAME/TITLE]万岁 = [NAME/TITLE] 10,000 years is the standard "Long live [NAME/TITLE]" thing in Chinese, but there are a bajillion derivations and alternatives throughout Chinese history if you want to get really snarky. 千岁/1,000 years is a salute for ranks below the emperor, and while I can't think of specific instances right now, I've read that it's been used to wheedle illegitimate claimants to the throne. If your dad wants to get subtly nasty, I will happily dig around the vault and see what others I can come up with.

if not, seconding that 橙皇万岁/cheng huang wan sui is what you're looking for.

NOT A TYPO EDIT BUT I THINK THIS IS OK:

橙皇万岁万万岁 cheng huang wan sui wan wan sui is the extended version, use for extra over-the-top emphasis.
posted by saysthis at 3:56 AM on January 14, 2017 [5 favorites]

Oh oh! And! if you Photoshop up a Mao-era socialist realist-looking propaganda poster type thing, there are wonderful painters in a little village outside Shenzhen I know of who will turn it into an oil painting for around $200USD-ish. Dunno how shipping and tax would work with that, but you have my full cooperation and assistance if you're gonna go whole hog on this.
posted by saysthis at 4:04 AM on January 14, 2017 [3 favorites]

Response by poster: Saysthis, the snarky version(s) would be great!

Y'all are awesome, as I knew you would be. Thank you so much.

Further explanation: he's going with a Blade Runner-y post-apocalyptic chili theme, and he's surrounded by Trumpkins where he lives.
posted by fiercecupcake at 8:20 AM on January 14, 2017 [3 favorites]

Dang, I want this so I can put it on FB without translation, for the benefit of a couple of Chinese-speaking friends.
posted by wenestvedt at 8:45 AM on January 14, 2017

Please update with the snarkier versions -- I'd love to learn the related insults.
posted by steady-state strawberry at 9:36 PM on January 14, 2017