Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Chinese term or phrase:
独居化外，被放三危
English translation:
an outsider exiled to a solitary existence on Mount San Wei
Added to glossary by
Ivan Niu
May 30, 2011 10:06
13 yrs ago
Chinese term
独居化外，被放三危
Chinese to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
又有一夜，我们在开会，这会按例每星期一次。到时聚餐之后，有人读论文，作为讨论，通常总是一种吸烟大会。这回轮着Ｃ君读论文。题目叫做《宗教与革命》，文中不少诙谐语。在这种扯谈之时，室内的烟气一层一层的浓厚起来，正是暗香浮动奇思涌发之时。诗人Ｈ君坐在中间，斜躺椅上，正在学放烟圈，一圈一圈的往上放出，大概诗意也跟着一层一层上升，其态度之自若，若有不足为外人道者。只有我一人不吸烟，觉得如独居化外，被放三危。这时戒烟越看越无意义了。我恍然觉悟，我太昏迷了。我追想搜索当初何以立志戒烟的理由，总搜寻不出一条理由来。
独居化外，被放三危？化外应如何译比较好？谢谢。
独居化外，被放三危？化外应如何译比较好？谢谢。
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +2 | an outsider exiled to a solitary existence on Mount San Wei |
Oriana Bonan
|
| 4 | I am living outside china alone and/or has been exiled to Mount San Wei |
Donglai Lou (X)
|
Proposed translations
+2
3 hrs
Oriana Bonan
Italy
Italy
Italy
Technical Translations & Subtitling
Native in: Italian
Works in: English to Italian, Italian
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Selected
an outsider exiled to a solitary existence on Mount San Wei
This is how I would translate the whole sentence:
"As I was the only one who did not smoke, I felt like an outsider exiled to a solitary existence on Mount San Wei."
IMO, the point made is that the protagonist, no longer being a smoker, feels excluded from a meeting that has turned into a "吸烟大会".
化外 = 'the outer fringes of civilization' (see link below)
三危 might refer to the mountain in Gansu (i.e., a remote and secluded location) or the 仙山 where 西王母's three birds live (《山海经·西山经》：“又西二百二十里，曰 三危之山 ，三青鸟居之。”).
"As I was the only one who did not smoke, I felt like an outsider exiled to a solitary existence on Mount San Wei."
IMO, the point made is that the protagonist, no longer being a smoker, feels excluded from a meeting that has turned into a "吸烟大会".
化外 = 'the outer fringes of civilization' (see link below)
三危 might refer to the mountain in Gansu (i.e., a remote and secluded location) or the 仙山 where 西王母's three birds live (《山海经·西山经》：“又西二百二十里，曰 三危之山 ，三青鸟居之。”).
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "thank you very much"
52 mins
I am living outside china alone and/or has been exiled to Mount San Wei
化外中，华是通假字，指中华以外；三危是敦煌所在区域的一座山。
如果直译的话，就是上面的说法。否则，I am living in a different world or have been exiled。或进一步意译。
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Note added at 14 hrs (2011-05-31 01:02:54 GMT)
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再解释一下“化外”的意思。化外原意是指中华以外，后引申为“中华文明所不及之处”。在此文中，如果说不吸烟是不文明，显然不对，因此译成身处异域或唯独我一个外人，比较合适。
如果直译的话，就是上面的说法。否则，I am living in a different world or have been exiled。或进一步意译。
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Note added at 14 hrs (2011-05-31 01:02:54 GMT)
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再解释一下“化外”的意思。化外原意是指中华以外，后引申为“中华文明所不及之处”。在此文中，如果说不吸烟是不文明，显然不对，因此译成身处异域或唯独我一个外人，比较合适。
Discussion
**exiled to an isolate mountain/ exiled to a solitary existence on an isolate mountain.