作官最容易﹐“哼哈二将”而已
English translation: Snap crackle pop
| 03:35 Apr 16, 2013 |
| Chinese to English translations [PRO] Art/Literary - History | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| ||||||
|  Selected response from: Rita Pang Canada Local time: 21:49 | ||||||
Grading comment
| |||||||
| Discussion entries: 5 | |
|---|---|
Answers
9 mins confidence: 
Snap crackle pop Explanation: Technically, what I am offering about isn't quite the same, but I wonder if put into the right context you can make that above phrase work. Essentially, I interpret this sentence as "it's easy to be one of the big guys; say yes here, shake your head there, nod here, tell someone off there, and there you have it". It's basically saying that the head honchos don't do much and does their job right by doing next to nothing (going "hmpf" and "uh huh"). A "nicer" version could be "just smile and nod"? -------------------------------------------------- Note added at 11 mins (2013-04-16 03:47:23 GMT) -------------------------------------------------- I also think there's a different interpretation to this: "get your minions to do your thing". And these people will take care of business for you at the snap of their fingers. After all 哼哈二将 are "佛教守护庙门的两个金刚力士"....working for Buddha himself... ;) Just a thought. Reference: http://xh.5156edu.com/html5/247793.html |
| ||
Grading comment
| |||
Notes to answerer
| |||
| Login to enter a peer comment (or grade) | |||
52 mins confidence:
It's easy being an official. All you need is to open your mouth... Explanation: "哼" and "哈" being onomatopoeic expressions of not much action... ;) |
| |
| Login to enter a peer comment (or grade) | ||
4 hrs confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
peer agreement (net): +1Being an official is the easiest. All you have to do is to keep up appearances. Explanation: IMHO, it means that all you need is to be superficial as in look good, regardless of whether you have the substance or not. Perhaps, to sum it up, you can say that all you have to do is to keep up appearances. 哼哈二将 are 守门神 So you just have to 守门, i.e. 撑门面; therefore, keep up appearances. 作官最容易﹐“哼哈二将”而已 Being an official is the easiest. All you have to do is to keep up appearances. -------------------------------------------------- Note added at 4 hrs (2013-04-16 07:45:03 GMT) -------------------------------------------------- Underlying concept: 只需要把“门”顾好或守好就行了 This is what 哼哈二将 are supposed to do anyway. -------------------------------------------------- Note added at 4 hrs (2013-04-16 07:50:49 GMT) -------------------------------------------------- Also, "门" or 门面 is synonymous to appearances. -------------------------------------------------- Note added at 4 hrs (2013-04-16 08:04:21 GMT) -------------------------------------------------- 做官最容易，撑门面而已 |
| ||
Notes to answerer
| |||
| Login to enter a peer comment (or grade) | |||
Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.
You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.
KudoZ™ translation help
The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.
See also:
Search millions of term translations