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Chinese Movie Translations
Going to the cinema is a popular pastime in China, and many Hollywood blockbuster movies such as James Bond (zhān mǔ sī · páng dé) 詹姆斯・庞德 and more recently, Star Wars (xīng qiú dà zhàn) 星球大战, are shown on the big screen, especially in the cities. Like most Western brands and companies that are found in China, movies are translated into Chinese, either literally or phonetically. Below is a compilation of movies and their translation into Chinese. Some are interesting, funny and just plain weird…Click on the red links to see a full breakdown of the movies in Chinese!
Pixar Translations in Chinese
On the release of Pixar’s Toy Story in 1995, the phrase 总动员 (zǒng dòng yuán) was added to the title of the movie to make 玩具总动员 (wán jù zǒng dòng yuán). Consequently, many of Pixar’s movies had 总动员 added to their titles. The meaning has nothing to do with Pixar but relates to the movie’s plot. 总动员 means to encourage a team of people to get everyone to do one thing. In Toy Story, for example, the Toys must escape Sid, the bully and be reunited with Andy.
Here are some more Pixar Movies and their Chinese translations:
Finding Nemo (hǎi dǐ zǒng dòng yuán) 海底总动员
Literal translation: General mobilization under the sea
Cars (sài chē zǒng dòng yuán) 赛车总动员
Literal translation: General mobilization of racing cars
The Incredibles (chāo rén zǒng dòng yuán) 超人总动员
Literal translation: General mobilization of Superman
A Bug’s Life (chóng chóng zǒng dòng yuán) 虫虫总动员
Literal translation: General mobilization of bugs
WALL.E (jī qì rén zǒng dòng yuán) 机器人总动员
Literal translation: General mobilization of robots
Ratatouille (liào lǐ shǔ wáng) 料理鼠王 / 美食总动员 (měi shí zǒng dòng yuán)
Literal translation: Mouse king of cooking
Superhero Movie Translations
Superhero movies are possibly one of the most popular genres of cinema in China. Many of the movies include the character 侠 xiá, meaning ‘hero’.
Spiderman (zhī zhū xiá) 蜘蛛侠
Literal translation: Spider swordsman
Batman (biān fú xiá) 蝙蝠侠 / 蝙蝠侠：侠影之谜 (biān fú xiá: xiá yǐng zhī mí) Batman Begins
Literal translation: Bat swordsman
Iron Man (gāng tiě xiá) 钢铁侠
Literal translation: Iron swordsman
2017 / 2018 Movie List Update
Jurassic World 2: Fallen Kingdom 侏罗纪世界2: 失落王国 (zhū luó jì shì jiè 2: shī luò wáng guó)
Deadpool 2 死侍2 (sǐ shì)
Literal translation: death warrior
Annihilation 湮灭 (yīn miè)
Ready Player One 头号玩家 (tóu hào wán jiā)
Literal translation: Number One Player
Avengers 3: Infinity War 复仇者联盟3:无限战争 (fù chóu zhě lián méng: wú xiàn zhàn zhēng)
Literal translation: Avenging Alliance: Infinity War
Arrival 降临 (jiàng lín)
Solo: A Star Wars Story 游侠索罗:星球大战外传 (yóu xiá suǒ luó: xīng qiú dàzhàn wài zhuàn)
Literal translation: Knight Errant Solo: Star Wars Unofficial Biography
A Quiet Place 寂静之地 (jì jìng zhī dì de)
Literal translation: Quiet Place
Rampage 狂暴巨兽 (kuáng bào jù shòu)
Literal translation: Berserk Giant Creature
Black Panther 黑豹 (hēi bào)
Isle of Dogs 犬之岛 (quǎn zhī dǎo)
Literal translation: Dog Island
The Greatest Showman 马戏之王 (mǎ xì zhī wáng)
Literal translation: Circus King
Tomb Raider 古墓丽影:源起之战 (gǔ mù lì yǐng: yuán qǐ zhī zhàn)
Literal translation: Ancient tombs and beautiful images: Battle of Origin
All the Money in the World 金钱世界 (jīn qián shì jiè)
Literal translation: Money World
Wonder 奇迹男孩 (qí jì nán hái)
Literal translation: Miracle Boy
Jackie 第一夫人 (dì yī fū rén)
Literal translation: The First Lady
Suburbicon 迷镇凶案 (mí zhèn xiōng àn)
Literal translation: Murders in the Lost Town
Jumanji 勇敢者游戏:决战丛林 (yǒng gǎn zhě yóu xì: jué zhàn cóng lín)
Literal translation: Brave Game: Decisive battle Jungle
Hereditary 遗传厄运 (yí chuán è yùn)
Literal translation: Hereditary Bad Luck
Adrift 惊涛飓浪 (jīng tāo jù làng)
Literal translation: Stormy Hurricane Waves
Tully 塔利 (tǎ lì)
Game Night 游戏之夜 (yóu xì zhī yè)
On Chesil Beach 在切瑟尔海滩上 (zài qiē sè ěr hǎi tān shàng)
The Mercy 怜悯 (lián mǐn)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Club 根西岛文学与土豆皮馅饼俱乐部 (gēn xī dǎo wén xué yǔ tǔ dòu pí xiàn bǐng jù lè bù)
You Were Never Really Here 你从未在此 (nǐ cóng wèi zài cǐ)
Early Man 早期人类 (zǎo qī rén lèi)
Swimming with Men 大叔花样游泳队 (dà shū huā yàng yóu yǒng duì)
Literal translation: Uncle synchronized swimming team
The Shape of Water 水形物语 (shuǐ xíng wù yù)
Literal translation: Water appearance language
Dunkirk 敦刻尔克 (dūn kè ěr kè)
Darkest Hour 至暗时刻 (zhì àn shí kè)
Literal translation: Darkest Moment
Phantom Thread 魅影缝匠 (mèi yǐng féng jiàng)
Literal translation: Phantom sewing craftsman
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri 三块广告牌 (sān kuài guǎng gào pái)
Get Out 逃出绝命镇 (táo chū jué mìng zhèn)
Literal translation: Escape from Death Town
The Post 华盛顿邮报 (huá shèng dùn yóu bào)
Literal translation: Washington Post
Call Me By Your Name 请以你的名字呼唤我 (qǐng yǐ nǐ de míng zi hū huàn wǒ)
Lady Bird 伯德小姐 (bó dé xiǎo jie)
Mudbound 泥土之界 (ní tǔ zhī jiè)
Literal translation: Swamp
The Disaster Artist 灾难艺术家 (zāi nàn yì shù jiā)
Molly’s Game 茉莉牌局 (mò lì pái jú)
Logan 金刚狼3:殊死一战 (jīn gāng láng3: shū sǐ yī zhàn)
Literal translation: Diamond Wolf 3: Life and Death Fight
Star Wars: The Last Jedi 星球大战8:最后的绝地武士 (xīng qiú dà zhàn 8: zuì hòu de jué dì wǔ shì)
Kong: Skull Island 金刚:骷髅岛 (jīn gāng kū lóu dǎo)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 银河护卫队2 (yín hé hù wèi duì 2)
War of the Planet of the Apes 猩球崛起3:终极之战 (xīng qiú jué qǐ 3: zhōng jí zhī zhàn)
Literal translation: Ape Star Emergence: Final Fight
Blade Runner 2049 银翼杀手2049 (yín yì shā shǒu 2049)
Literal translation: Silver Wing Killer
Original Movie Translation List
The following movies are both interesting and more accurate translations than some. Click on the red links to see the meaning of the characters in more detail.
Inception (dào mèng kōng jiān) 盗梦空间
Literal translation: Steal dreams in the dream space
Leon (zhè ge shā shǒu bù tài lěng) 这个杀手不太冷
Literal translation: This killer is not so cold
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (gǔ mù lì yǐng) 古墓丽影
Literal translation: Beauty in the ancient tomb
Rudy (zhuī mèng chì zǐ xīn) 追梦赤子心
Literal translation: Pure heart dreamer
Mission: Impossible (dié zhōng dié) 碟中谍
Literal translation: CD in the spy
The Mask (biàn xiàng guài jié) 变相怪杰
Literal translation: Wizard of the deformed
Whiplash (bào liè gǔ shǒu) 爆裂鼓手
Literal translation: Burst drummer
The Others (xiǎo dǎo jīng hún) 小岛惊魂
Literal translation: Frightened island
The Pursuit of Happyness (dāng xìng fú lái qiāo mén) 当幸福来敲门
Literal translation: When happiness knocks on the door
Lolita (yī shù lí huā yā hǎi táng) 一树梨花压海棠 / 洛丽塔 (luò lì tǎ)
Literal translation: A pear flower press Begonia (originally from a poem 《一树梨花压海棠》 which means “to be married to a woman many years younger than oneself “. The pear flower is white (old man), and the Begonia is red (young woman)).
Le Fabuleux Destin d‘ Amelie Poulain (tiān shǐ ài měi lì) 天使爱美丽
Literal translation: Angel like beauty
Transformers (biàn xíng jīn gāng) 变形金刚
Literal translation: Transform vajrapani (Buddha’s warrior attendant)
‘Romantic’ Movie Translations
The following have been given ‘romantic’ translations.
Scent of a Woman (wén xiāng shí nǚ rén) 闻香识女人
Literal translation: Read woman by her scent
Le Grand Bleu (The Big Blue) (bì hǎi lán tiān) 碧海蓝天
Literal translation: Blue sea, blue sky
Ghost (rén guǐ qíng weì liǎo) 人鬼情未了
Literal translation: Love remaining between the human and ghost
The Bridges of Madison County (láng qiáo yí mèng) 廊桥遗梦
Literal translation: Dreams leaving over the covered bridges
Sommersby (sì shì gù rén lái) 似是故人来
Literal translation: It seems as though the old friend is coming
A Walk in the Clouds (yún zhōng màn bù) 云中漫步
Literal translation: Stroll in the clouds
Gone with the wind (luàn shì jiā rén) 乱世佳人
Literal translation: Beauty in troubled times
Waterloo Bridge (hún duàn lán qiáo) 魂断蓝桥
Literal translation: Lost soul on the blue bridge
Chocolat (nóng qíng qiǎo kè lì) 浓情巧克力
Literal translation: Deep feeling chocolate
Chinese Chengyu Movie Translations
Some movie names have been translated using Chinese Chengyu. If you’re interested in learning for about Chinese Chengyu, take a look at our post ‘10 Useful Chinese Chengyu and Idioms for Beginners The Chengyu often aptly describes the plot of the movies like the following:
Jeux d’enfants (liǎng xiǎo wú cāi) 两小无猜
Literal translation: Boy and girl grow up together and are innocent childhood friends
Jeune & Jolie (huā róng yuè mào) 花容月貌
Literal translation: Fair as a flower and beautiful as the moon (the girl is very beautiful)
Escape Plan (jīn chán tuō qiào) 金蝉脱壳
Literal translation: A cicada casting off its skin (an escape by strategy)
Enemy at the Gates (bīng lín chéng xià) 兵临城下
Literal translation: The attacking army has reached the city gates
Almost Famous (chéng míng zài wàng) 成名在望
Literal translation: Almost famous
The Fast and the Furious (sù dù yù jī qíng) 速度与激情
Literal translation: Fast and the Furious
Resident Evil (shēng huà wēi jī) 生化危机
Literal translation: Biochemistry crisis
Cast Away (huāng dǎo yú shēng) 荒岛余生
Literal translation: Survival on a deserted island
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (duó bǎo qí bīng) 夺宝奇兵
Literal translation: Surprise army of Treasure snatch
Up (fēi wū huán yóu jì) 飞屋环游记
Literal translation: Story of Flying house travelling around
The Bourne Identity (dié yǐng zhòng zhòng) 谍影重重
Literal translation: Many shadows of spy surround
Forrest Gump (ā gān zhèng zhuàn) 阿甘正传
Literal translation: True story of Gump (There is a novel named 阿Q正传 and a movie 阿飞正传 in China, both of which are stories about a person. 阿+one character of a person’s name is commonly used in some areas of Chinese)
Les choristes / The Chorus (fàng niú bān de chūn tiān) 放牛班的春天
Literal translation: Spring of poor class (放牛班 comes from Taiwanese, meaning the ‘class of underachievers’)
La cité des enfants perdus (The City of Lost Children) (tóng mèng shī hún yè) 童梦失魂夜
Literal translation: Children’s dreams of lost souls
Die Hard (hǔ dǎn lóng wēi) 虎胆龙威
Literal translation: Tiger’s guts and Dragon’s power
It Happened One Night (yī yè fēng liú) 一夜风流
Literal translation: Romance in one night
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (fēi yuè fēng rén yuàn) 飞越疯人院
Literal translation: Flyover the bug house
A Clockwork Orange (fā tiáo chéng) 发条橙
Literal translation: Coilspring orange
ANTZ (xiǎo yǐ xióng bīng) 小蚁雄兵
Literal translation: Powerful army of small ants
Don‘t Say a Word (chén mò shēng jī) 沉默生机
Literal translation: Survival in silence
FACE OFF (duó miàn shuāng xióng) 夺面双雄Literal translation: Snatch the face between the hero and anti-hero
Legally Blonde (lǜ zhèng qiào jiā rén) 律政俏佳人
Literal translation: Legal beauty
Moulin Rouge (hóng mò fáng) 红磨坊
Literal translation: Red mill
The Grinch (shèng dàn guài jié) 圣诞怪杰
Literal translation: Christmas wizard
Planet of the Apes (jué zhàn xīng qiú) 决战猩球
Literal translation: Decisive battle of the gorilla star
The Princess Diaries (má què biàn gōng zhǔ) 麻雀变公主
Literal translation: The sparrow becomes a princess
The Gift (jīng hún yǎn) 惊魂眼
Literal translation: Frightened eyes
Meet The Parents (bài jiàn yuè fù dà ren) 拜见岳父大人
Literal translation: Formal visit to the father-in-law
Share Your Comments
If you know any fun or interesting Chinese movie translations please share them with us in the comment section below! Want to know how to say a specific movie in Chinese? Leave the movie name below, and we’ll see what we can do!
