http://www.flickr.com/photos/43812849@N00/15351537/
I saw this photo posted in Flickr.com. It is a recruiting ad written in Chinese for someone that is interested to start/join a criminal organization.
Translation:
"Searching for Someone that Would be Interested [To Whom It May Concern]
I have been recently released from prison after doing over 10 years of time. I wanted to reform [reject the way of crime] and join the society, but the government is not what it used to be [I have done my time, but the government still treats me as a criminal].
I tried to start my own business, but lost everything. Thus I am broke and lack of money [financial resource].
Today, I have decided to join a terrorist organization or the underground crime syndicate. If anyone has connections, I am willing to join.
Or, if others have the similar idea, we could join forces and start our own "mafia".
Good looking female members are encouraged and welcome.
Contact telephone number: 027-61297229
Law enforcements please do not bother me, I have yet broken any law."
Update 1:
The 027 telephone area code belongs to the Chinese city of Wuhan, and the International Telephone country code for China is 86.
Update 2:
Reader "Hai" has written an alternative translation of the poster after two commenters complained about my version has missed some of the poster's original intended humour.
Is any one absolutely certain this ad was meant to be humerous? I thought Tian's translation was fine but wrote an alternate one for fun.
"Searching for Like-Minded Individuals
After 10 years of hardship ("disasters") in prison, I've returned to society. When I first got back I tried to lead a normal life, but the government wouldn't have it. Then I started my own business but ended up in debt (bankrupt). So now I need ("am lacking") one thing: Money.
"After today's thorough consideration, I am determined to to join a terrorist organization or a suicide gang. Please hook me up if you have connections.
"If nobody ("no buddy") is willing to step up, my other idea is to round up some people and get my own "mafia" started. Hot babes ("beautiful women") are encouraged to apply. If we get along, I'll take care of you no matter what kind of trouble you're in. Welcome aboard.
"To respond please call: 027-61297229
"Law enforcement agents, please do not contact this poster. I haven't violated any laws yet!"
If anyone is curious about the first symbol/character looking like a reversed swastika:
ReplyDelete"The swastika still continues today to be an extensively used sign in Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism. In Buddhism, a swastika represents resignation."
Hope that clears up any possible confusion.
Hahaha, beautiful
ReplyDeleteHow bizarre...where did you find this, Tian?
ReplyDeleteFlickr.com
ReplyDeleteNot much to worry about with this guy.
ReplyDeleteHis mother probably posted it so he'll get picked up and she won't have to feed him.
Some funny parts are lost in ur translation Tian
ReplyDeleteTuzi is absolutely correct. Your translation misses a lot of the humour. I don't have time to do a decent job for you, but you should really get someone who can actually translate to do this properly.
ReplyDelete看来大家都懂得中文。
ReplyDeleteIt seems many people can read Chinese.
It is just a joke, I think.
Gong'an will find him immediately if the telephone number is true.
Instead of complaining, how about some of you that have better grasp of the Chinese language come out and translate it for the rest of us?
ReplyDeleteEspecially Mr. "I don't have time to do a decent job for you" but "I do have the time to leave a comment to complain".
ReplyDeleteIf you have talked the talk, can you walk the walk?
How about it?
Hey Tian: you're a great detective. Don't let yourself be bothered by those picking on your translation. Sloppy or not it's enjoyable. I will translate it into Spanish myself.
ReplyDeletewow... instead of giving the guy a "thank you" you instead complain about the (incomplete?) translation.
ReplyDeletebtw, thank you!
Looks like it was written by some wise ass laowai because nobody in wuhan writes that clearly.
ReplyDeleteFront page on Boing Boing too!
ReplyDeleteCool find.
-Ken L.
That is hilarious!
ReplyDeleteIncredible :(
ReplyDeleteDo you blog/type from China?
Bye from Italy ;)
Is any one absolutely certain this ad was meant to be humerous? I thought Tian's translation was fine but wrote an alternate one for fun.
ReplyDelete"Searching for Like-Minded Individuals
After 10 years of hardship ("disasters") in prison, I've returned to society. When I first got back I tried to lead a normal life, but the government wouldn't have it. Then I started my own business but ended up in debt (bankrupt). So now I need ("am lacking") one thing: Money.
"After today's thorough consideration, I am determined to to join a terrorist organization or a suicide gang. Please hook me up if you have connections.
"If nobody ("no buddy") is willing to step up, my other idea is to round up some people and get my own "mafia" started. Hot babes ("beautiful women") are encouraged to apply. If we get along, I'll take care of you no matter what kind of trouble you're in. Welcome aboard.
"To respond please call: 027-61297229
"Law enforcement agents, please do not contact this poster. I haven't violated any laws yet!"
Rather than translate the word "mafia", I would have used the literal words the author used: la cosa nostra! Double the fun:)
ReplyDelete-Ken L.
I am surprised to find the picture I posted on flickr.com for my blog was forwarded here. Haha.
ReplyDeleteI am happy to see so many people here like it.
Enjoy yourself.
I am from Wuhan city. The tel# on the picture belongs to my hometown area. So funny!
ZhongWen rules!
ReplyDeleteThis is obviously fake. If watching Hong Kong movies has taught me anything, it's that simply walking out onto a city street will put you within thirty feet of the Triads or another comparable gang. There's no reason he would have to go to this amount of trouble just to join a crime ring! But then again, maybe it was just that his kung fu had gotten rusty in prison...
ReplyDeleteAccording to my GF who lived in china for the first 14 years of her life:
ReplyDeleteThe first translation is very good. But the style of writing is very poor, like a second grade kid. She doesn't think it is real.
Of course it is a joke, the penmanship is terrible, looks like a grade school child wrote it.
ReplyDeleteSearching for like-minded people…[this is a joke]
Read this part……
Started a business and lost my money. So, idiot (homophone) [cross out and insert] I’m missing one [thing]: “Money”. [The guy so stupid he wrote the wrong characters for “I” and almost wrote “stupid]
Read the part about the recruiting beautiful girl……
“If there are beautiful girls that can appreciate this [idea of starting a gang], just have to be able to get along [with me]. Any of [your] big problems, are my problems [which I will help you in resolving]. [We] welcome your participation.”
I think it's a fake. But the bad penmanship and the poor chinese writing skill are reasonable here. Obviously the writer is uneducated. My english writing is poor too.
ReplyDeleteWhat on the post makes me feel it's a fake? The writer is uneducated but didn't use many wrong characters or nonstandard simplified characters.
to ac_dropout: "本人 ben3 ren2" means "我 me".
ReplyDeleteI'm referring to the author's need to inject the character people, 人 in the sentence. The guy's Chinese is on the level where he would mistaken 笨 for 本
ReplyDelete我现在住在武汉，那个人未必也太傻了吧？这样的广告在武汉能留几天？？早就会被清洁工除掉了。
ReplyDeleteI live in Wuhan now.i think the man who post it is so fool,because the streetcleaner will remove it immediately.
sorry for bad english :)
For a good time call?
ReplyDelete;)