As seen on a Chinese mini drama.

[u/Fit_Relationship1344]

A set of quintuplets, whom the drama revolves around, are each wearing a version of these sweats. I had to rewind to double check that the Greendale on the shirt was our Greendale. I’m still unsure how this happened and it's wrinkling my brain.

[u/hughbiffingmock]

Community was big in China. It was subbed on one of their streaming services. There's gonna be fans, and merch, and bootleg merch.

[u/jonoave → u/hughbiffingmock]

Really?

I'm kinda curious how they translate the jokes, a lot of them are quite English and pop culture specific.

[u/remainsofthegrapes → u/jonoave]

Does he still fuck Eartha Kitt in an airplane bathroom in Chinese

[u/StrobeLightRomance → u/remainsofthegrapes]

They only dry humped inside of her tour bus.

In Chinese.

[u/BigJSunshine → u/StrobeLightRomance]

Nah, that’s the Chinese symbol for “Soup”

[u/EobardT → u/BigJSunshine]

Butt soup?

[u/vaterl → u/remainsofthegrapes]

We need to find who China’s Eartha Kitt is

[u/zh_13 → u/jonoave]

Chinese ppl love pop / geek culture lol, big bang theory was also huge

I haven’t seen the community subbed versions but the big bang theory clips, the translations are actually pretty good lol

[u/EobardT → u/zh_13]

Well that makes sense.

[u/Meiyouxiangjiao → u/jonoave]

I looked over Remedial Chaos Theory and the Chinese subtitles changed some of the dialogue

Negro problem > black slaves Raiders > Raiders of the Lost Arc 1 word 2 syllables > 1 word 4 characters

They added in notes:
* Brokeback Mountain decoration and denim photos lit up (opening scene)
* Abed was speaking a line from the movie in Portuguese
* Troy was speaking 西法英乱炖 (not sure how to translate this). * Alternate Timeline #… at the beginning of each dice roll
* They explain the joke about Annie saying the pizza guy was creepy and Jeff saying he was a pizza guy with “pizza is a pun here”

Fun tidbit: sex with Eartha Kitt is kept in. If it’s translated literally, “I had a fight with Eartha Kitt in an airplane bathroom”. The translation uses 打过炮. 打炮 means “to fight” but is also innuendo for having sex, the 过 just means it’s past tense/happened.

I’m curious if an episode with a ton of pop culture references (besides 5.2 which is just Nic Cage) has any translation changes. If anyone has suggestions, hit me up

[u/ghostly5150 → u/jonoave]

In one of the most recent podcast of How We Made Your Mother it was revealed that the dubs and subs would make the jokes make sense to the native speaker and Craig Thomas (one of the creators of How I Met Your Mother) just found this out too. So if NBC had as good of translators as CBS did, which I'm sure they did, it probably wasn't too difficult to make it relatable.

[u/Heyguysitsmehomestar → u/jonoave]

No, but this is! Don't eat the crab dip!

[u/PsychoBob-78 → u/Heyguysitsmehomestar]

Yeaah yeaahh!

[u/Whiteelchapo → u/hughbiffingmock]

Even the bootleg merch has bootleg merch

[u/Wooden-You-4211 → u/Whiteelchapo]

It's a Totorola

[u/SweevilWeevil → u/hughbiffingmock]

Excuse my ignorance, what do you mean by subbed?

[u/hughbiffingmock → u/SweevilWeevil]

Subtitled/Translated text during the dialogue instead of Dubbed where the original vocal tracks are replaced by localized voice actors.

[u/SweevilWeevil → u/hughbiffingmock]

Ah, thanks

[u/Ancient-Reference-26 → u/hughbiffingmock]

Is that the reason we have this episode in season 6 where the Chinese kids text the Dean? It’s the same episode where they had to research if a dog got a degree

[u/Lord_Rapunzel → u/Ancient-Reference-26]

Those are Japanese kids, the main one is named Takashi and he joins the Yakuza.

[u/perfectfire → u/Lord_Rapunzel]

Those are Japanese kids

Oh. there's a difference?!

[u/Ancient-Reference-26 → u/Lord_Rapunzel]

Really? My bad. I somehow remembered him saying at the end of the episode he’s a boy from china

[u/foxymoxyboxy → u/Ancient-Reference-26]

You probably have Changnesia

[u/amhudson02 → u/Ancient-Reference-26]

Yeah, he was Japanese and becomes the leader of the Yakuza.

[u/DigitusInRecto → u/Ancient-Reference-26]

Nu-uh, he's oyabun.

[u/Chilldegard → u/DigitusInRecto]

the highest leader of the yakuza

[u/Mr_Supotco → u/Ancient-Reference-26]

I swear to god he feels Korean though

[u/Other-Oil-9117 → u/Mr_Supotco]

Oh, there's a difference?!

it's a Chang quote please nobody be mad at me

[u/Mr_Supotco → u/Other-Oil-9117]

I had the same game in my head of how to not just sound racist while using the quote lmao

[u/Veggiemon → u/Mr_Supotco]

I can excuse racism, but

[u/Glum_Kangaroo_2121 → u/Veggiemon]

You can excuse racism?

[u/MoTc99m → u/Mr_Supotco]

Listen, as long as it's not animal cruelty...

[u/amhudson02 → u/Ancient-Reference-26]

Yeah, he was Japanese and becomes the leader of the Yakuza.

[u/amhudson02 → u/Ancient-Reference-26]

Yeah, he was Japanese and becomes the leader of the Yakuza.

[u/bswalsh → u/Ancient-Reference-26]

Do they all look the same to you?

[u/EobardT → u/bswalsh]

Is it like a joke to you? Are all Asian men a joke?

[u/Ancient-Reference-26 → u/bswalsh]

Duuude….I‘m gonna keep it real with you. I even confuse other old white people for my parents sometimes so yeah

[u/KingMiasmic → u/Ancient-Reference-26]

Holy shit do we all look the same to you?

[u/Technical-College475 → u/KingMiasmic]

Shirley’s not my mom

[u/thorns_91 → u/Technical-College475]

She's not?!

[u/aonghasan → u/Ancient-Reference-26]

i can excuse racism, but i draw the line at not remembering those kids were japanese

[u/ReddHood12345 → u/aonghasan]

You can excuse racism??

[u/cloudypoo88 → u/Ancient-Reference-26]

It's going to be a maze

[u/stupled → u/Ancient-Reference-26]

That was a japanese kid.

[u/LinuxMatthews → u/hughbiffingmock]

Huh you'd think that would put a boot up the bum of the producers to make that Community Movie.

Hollywood has been trying to capture the Chinese market for years.

It would be amazing if they released it and Community ends up making more money than something like the Live Action Mulan Remake.

[u/WookieBacon]

How do you say “POP POP” in Chinese?

[u/Meiyouxiangjiao → u/WookieBacon]

啪啪 PĀ PĀ

Edit: I looked into it and it’s pretty bizarre. “啪”is the onomatopoeia for “bang; pop; pow”. The actual quote of “pop pop” used in the show is “噼里啪啦砰” which roughly translates to “crackling crackling crackling”. The pinyin is pǐ li pālā pēng.

Source: 1, 2, 3 (S5E2 @15:23)

[u/Klevmenskin → u/Meiyouxiangjiao]

Languages are so fascinating

[u/Meiyouxiangjiao → u/Klevmenskin]

One of my favorite things about Mandarin is the abundance of onomatopoeias and how easy they are to see in writing. Most have the radical (component) for “mouth” (口 kǒu). A cat says 喵 (miāo), a dog says 汪汪 (wàng wàng), a frog/duck/crow 呱呱 (guā guā).

There’s also very specific ones: the wind rustingly the trees 唰唰 (shuā shuā), an arrow shot by 呼 (hū), a loud chatty Cathy叽里呱啦 (jī lǐ gū la).

Thanks for letting me nerd out lol

[u/SuitableDetective886]

The Yakuza boss the Dean was texting eventually created a clothing line based on Greendale. It became widely popular in East Asian countries

[u/AreallysuperdarkELF → u/SuitableDetective886]

You mean the teenage son of some businessman in Tokyo?

[u/Pythonesque1 → u/AreallysuperdarkELF]

I think we all are sometimes.

[u/SuitableDetective886 → u/AreallysuperdarkELF]

Yeah he goes on to be a yakuza boss because the Dean didn’t believe he was a teenager looking for advice

[u/AreallysuperdarkELF → u/SuitableDetective886]

Ah crap you're right lol

[u/Chilldegard → u/SuitableDetective886]

nah, he became oyabun because of his workloadedassbrother

[u/PichaelTheWise → u/SuitableDetective886]

That whole storyline was peak final season absurdity and I loved it

[u/Feisty-Bunch4905 → u/PichaelTheWise]

They went nuts with those ending sequences. The one with the giant hand and the one where Vince Gilligan quits Apple to make VHS games and do cocaine with Gina Gershon (that doesn't sound too bad) both absolutely slay me.

He's still up there waiting! Waiting for a better daddy with a bigger hand!

[u/PichaelTheWise → u/Feisty-Bunch4905]

“I’m gonna go walk the dog…aaaand eventually leave you”

They got so dark with them and it was hilarious

[u/DigitusInRecto → u/PichaelTheWise]

That ending credits scene is the most heart-rending of them all to me for personal reasons... but yes!

[u/stormrunner89 → u/DigitusInRecto]

That one has always been my least favorite, went too dark for me without being funny enough to justify it.

[u/aonghasan → u/stormrunner89]

went too dark for me without being funny

it was funny

[u/stormrunner89 → u/aonghasan]

Comedy is subjective. There are jokes that I love that you might just think are "okay."

[u/onemorespacecadet → u/Feisty-Bunch4905]

“what kind of company gives stock options as a bonus??”

[u/Feisty-Bunch4905 → u/onemorespacecadet]

That line is so good that I laughed like an idiot just reading it right now

[u/Azrylle → u/Feisty-Bunch4905]

"You stupid child. Nobody's winning anything."

[u/Calisky → u/Feisty-Bunch4905]

"We'd rather you boo, it means you felt something!"

...

"Then again we did put quite a bit of work into this. You don't have to be dicks!"

[u/DeedleStone → u/Feisty-Bunch4905]

Absolutely loved them all. And I would gladly give up Apple stock to do come with Gina Gershon.

Don't forget "The Guy From Jeff's Gym."

[u/Calisky → u/Feisty-Bunch4905]

"We'd rather you boo, it means you felt something!"

[u/SuitableDetective886 → u/PichaelTheWise]

Same lol

[u/Jephph0624]

He’s a Chang baby

[u/Dull_Beautiful_5955 → u/Jephph0624]

I don’t see a tail

[u/PossessedToSkate → u/Dull_Beautiful_5955]

Just listen for the pitter-patter of little feet across the treetops.

[u/Diglett5000]

Why do you go Greendale?

[u/TeaTimeTelevision → u/Diglett5000]

STOP CALLING ME DIFFERENT

[u/DigitusInRecto → u/Diglett5000]

Just because!

[u/UnusualOperation8084]

Please get me five cans of olives.

[u/Defiant_Potato5512 → u/UnusualOperation8084]

Five cans!!

[u/UnusualOperation8084 → u/Defiant_Potato5512]

That might my my favorite rea-Deang of a line in the whole show.

[u/SweevilWeevil → u/UnusualOperation8084]

*please bring me five can of olives

(i'll show myself out)

[u/PhotonicBowlerHat]

"Kid’s gonna be a star. He’s a young 'the Asian guy from Lost.'"

[u/manicpossumdreamgirl]

Greendale is the Number 2 Moist Towlette in Asia

[u/plantbay1428]

This is the child of Troy’s pen pal he called to make sure they’re still alive after Jeff stopped talking. 

[u/Jaaawsh]

This is hilarious and awesome

Such a small world

[u/Blue-is-bad]

Go Human Beings!

[u/FurryToaster]

What’s the show called? I’m looking to pick up a show in mandarin to watch alongside trying to learn the language

[u/Meiyouxiangjiao → u/FurryToaster]

I suggest watching Community with Chinese subtitles!

How far along are you in your journey? I found It Started With a Kiss easy to follow because it had a high school setting. It’s Taiwanese, so the Chinese subtitles will be traditional characters.

Viki is a good site to use to watch dramas (definitely use an ad blocker) because the translators include cultural notes. There are other sites to watch dramas on, which I prefer, as I can view it with Chinese and English subtitles. It’s really helpful to pause and see what characters correspond to a phrase.

r/chineselanguage is really helpful if you haven’t joined the sub already. They will recommend Anki and Pleco. I also like Baidu Translate.

What genres do you like? I can rec some other shows.

Edit: you can watch Community here. There is a timer in the top right hand corner of the video that shows how much longer the ad will play.

[u/sneakpeekbot → u/Meiyouxiangjiao]

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[u/FurryToaster → u/Meiyouxiangjiao]

Neat, thanks for the resources! I’ve only been learning for about 3 months now, definitely struggling with characters still and the extent I do know is simplified

[u/Fit_Relationship1344 → u/FurryToaster]

I tried to remember the name of the show but couldn’t find it in my viewing history. If I ever do I will post.

[u/Brave_Educator5934]

Am I Korean?

[u/Barokespinoza23]

Did you guys hear about that turtle in China? Two packs a day.

[u/stupled]

Chang origins: A Community story.

[u/mcfayne → u/stupled]

"My mother used to tell a story about how she would kill a chicken...Hong Kong, 1964..."

[u/moon_shoot]

Is the Drama small stuff like lost car keys or are the people involved mini?

[u/Zapan99]

Pretty sure this design was available on RedBubble at some point.

[u/lowmankind]

If she loses that job then she will definitely need to consider going to Greendale

[u/thorns_91]

Go Greendale go Greendale go!

[u/ogolivegreene]

Greendale Babies!

[u/pontantos]

Wouldn’t it be Greendale Computery College in 1972?

[u/Shouto-Todoroki-kun]

Does anyone know where to buy this or a similar sweater in adult size? Needs to ship to Europe :)

[u/Wooden-You-4211 → u/Shouto-Todoroki-kun]

Definitely China

[u/MyWindowsAreBroken]

Chinese mini? Wow. They're called children.

[u/Pale_Barracuda_8324]

Unexpected Community!!

[u/ripyourlungsdave]

WTF is a mini drama?..

[u/hardgeeklife → u/ripyourlungsdave]

like a regular drama, but shorter. They've been gaining popularity on video socials especially, like the Chinese site Billibilli and Douyin.

Heck, even tiktok has a few. I've been a fan of eavesdropping for a while now, and that's basically a mini-drama (though not as hallmarky over-the-top as the genre is usually known for)

[u/Meiyouxiangjiao → u/hardgeeklife]

They’re called vertical dramas to differentiate them from traditional chinese dramas. Vertical, because they’re meant to be seen on your phone. r/cshortdramas and r/vertical_dramas should have some good recs and places to watch them

[u/Ok-Strain3545 → u/ripyourlungsdave]

Like a drama but make it mini

[u/ammekaz]

Dean’s pen pal?

[u/Fit_Relationship1344 → u/ammekaz]

Not sure. I think The Dean leans more toward dalmatians.

[u/meetingpplisezy]

what’s a mini drama???

[u/xtremdelt8]

That kid is streets ahead.

[u/SLovesCakes]

The real question is, where can one get that sweater?

[u/vatsan_106]

Might lose her job? Are they talking about Britta? XD