Chinese Translations

TRANSLATIONS: CHINESE AND MIXED CHINESE/KOREAN, AS FOUND ON KOREAN ORDER AND MEDALS

Many people know some of the basic Chinese numbers such as 一, 二, 三 (1, 2, 3). These are referred to as “Lower Case” numbers 小寫 or 小写. There are however a lot more Chinese number characters just below the surface. For example 四 (4) can be written as 亖 or 肆. Standard variants are known as Uppercase, Capital, or Financial numbers 大寫 or 大写. These are generally used to minimize the chance of tampering, primarily in accounting. For example, the word for one 一 can be easily be changed to万 (10,000).
  • 零 (령) Zero
  • 一等 (일등) “First Class” used on: Order of Diplomatic Service, 1961, 1963 & 1967 Series (Chinese text unconfirmed on 1961 Series), Order of National Security Merit, 1967 Series and Order of Service Merit, 1961 Series
  • 二等 (이등) “Second Class” used on: Order of Diplomatic Service, 1961, 1963 & 1967 Series, Order of National Security Merit, 1967 Series and Order of Service Merit, 1961 series
  • 三等 (삼등) “Third Class” used on: Order of Diplomatic Service 1961, 1963 & 1967 Series, Order of National Security Merit, 1967 Series and Order of Service Merit, 1961 Series
  • 四等 (사등) “Fourth Class” used on: Order of Diplomatic Service, 1961, 1963 & 1967 Series, Order of National Security Merit, 1967 Series and Order of Service Merit, 1961 Series
  • 五等 (오등) “Fifth Class” used on: Order of Diplomatic Service, 1961, 1963 & 1967 Series, Order of National Security Merit, 1967 Series and Order of Service Merit, 1961 Series
  • 六 二五 or 六. 二五 “6.25″ refers to June 25th, 1950, the day on which the Korean War started. Common expression, used in South Korea to refer to the Korean War.
  • 六 二五사변종군기장 “6.25 (June 25) Incident Participation Medal” Korean War Service Medal, Type 2
  • 六等 (육등) Sixth Class used on: Order of Diplomatic Service Merit, 1961 Series and Order of Service Merit, 1961 Series
  • 七等 (칠등) Seventh Class used on: Order of Service Merit, 1961 Series
  • 八 (팔) Eight
  • 九 (구) Nine
  • 十 (십) Ten
  • 拾 (습) Ten (Financial Form)
  • 呀 (하) When used with a number, it is a classifier for occurrences such as : 1st, 2nd, 5th, the 10th. Rarely used.
  • 〹, 廾 or 廿 (입) Twenty. Rarely used, normally written as: “二十”. It is actually a contraction of 二十. This form is still used to refer to Chinese calendar dates.
  • 卅 or 丗 (세) Thirty. Rarely used, normally written as: “三十”. It is actually a contraction of 三十. This form is still used to refer to Chinese calendar dates.
  • 卌 Forty. Rarely used, normally written as: “四十”. Possibly, a contraction of 〹〹, 廾廾 or 廿廿. Used in Japan and China, not used in Korea and not recognized by most translation programs.
  • 亖 Four, rarely used, archaic form
  • 百 (백) Hundred (100)
  • 千 (천) Thousand (1,000)
  • 萬 (만) Ten-thousand (10,000)
  • 弌 (일) One, an obsolete financial form used for the number one, and not commonly seen.
  • 弍 (이) Two, an obsolete financial form, a simplified variant of 弐, 貮 or 貳 and not commonly seen.
  • 弎 (삼) Three, an obsolete financial form, a variant of 叁 and not commonly seen. The character 叁 is generally used in accounting to prevent fraud.
  • 貮 (이) Two, an obsolete financial character used for the number two, and not commonly seen, found on the Second Class of the Orders of the Korean Empire.
  • 䦉 (사) Four, an obsolete financial form.
  • 伍 (오) Five, a financial form. (Mostly seen on Mahjong Tiles)
  • 什 (십) Ten. Rarely used, and is, normally written as: “十”.
  • 壹 (일) One, found on Korean Empire Orders as: 壹等 First Class
  • 參 (참) Three, found on Korean Empire Orders as: 參等 Third Class
  • 瑞星 (서성) Auspicious Stars, however, the Korean words “서성” are a homophone for “Three Stars”
  • 日 (일) Day
  • 月 (월) Month
  • 年 (년) Year
  • 閏年凡 (윤년범) Leap Year
  • 檀紀 (단기) Dan Gi Calendar system (To arrive at a Western date, add 2333 to the Dan Gi date)
  • 檀君紀 (단군기) Dan Gun Gi Calendar system, A more precise name for the Dan Gi Calendar (To arrive at a Western date, add 2333 to the Dan Gun Gi date)
  • 日鮮同祖論 (일선동조론) Theory of Common Ancestry of Japanese and Koreans
  • 第 (제) typically a prefix used to indicate an Ordinal Number, i.e., 第二  2nd or 第十 10th, but can also mean “Precedence”.
  • 第___號 (제___호) literally an “ordered number”, but often translated as Serial Number. When encountered on Korean Orders, it is a production number which is not traceable.
  • 度 (도) When used in a date 度 is a classifier for events or occurrences: 1st, 2nd, 5th, the 10th.
  • 功 (공) Achievement
  • 勳章 (훈장) Order
  • 正章 (정장) Badge, pendant
  • 副章 (부장) Breast Star
  • 賞 (상) prize; reward; praise
  • 賞牌 (상패) Award Medal
  • 等 (등) Class. Found on Korean Orders to indicate the Class
  • 佩用 (패용) Wearing (a Decoration) Often found in legal statutes regarding medals and badges
  • 大韓民國 (대한민국) “Republic of Korea”
  • 大韓民國軍人遺族記章 (대한민국군인유족기장)  “Republic of Korea Soldiers Bereaved Family Medal” Commonly referred to as the Korean next of kin medal
  • 大朝鮮國 (대조선국) Literally “Great Chosŏn Country”, name used for Korea during the Empire Period.
  • 大韓帝國 (大韓帝國) Literally “Great Korean Empire”, name used for Korea during the Empire Period.
  • 大韓勞總 (대한로총) Korean Federation of Labor
  • 朝鮮 (조선) pronounced Chosŏn. It is the old name for Korea, used during the Yi Dynasty/Empire Period (1392-1910), the Japanese Occupation Period (1910-1945), and today, by the Democratic People’s Republic Of Korea. Korean English Translator Programs will commonly translate it as North Korea, so you need to decide if you are dealing with Pre- or Post-1945.
  • 朝鮮日報 (조선일보) Chosŏn ilbo or Korea Daily News
  • 朝鮮鉄道局 (조선철도국) Chosŏn Railway Bureau
  • 朝鮮体育協會 (조선분육협회) Chosŏn Sports Association Chapter
  • 朝鮮総督府 (조선총독부) Chosŏn Governor-General (1910-1945). The Japanese administration that oversaw Korea during the Japanese occupation.
  • 韓國 (한국) Commonly used in South Korea to mean “South Korea” or “Korea” (as a whole).
  • 北韓 (북한) North Korea. In formal situations, North Korea finds this term offensive and prefers to be called the “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea” 조선민주주의인민공화국.
  • 奉仕章 (봉사장) “Service Medal”, 20 Year Police Service Medal
  • 忠誠章 (충성장) “Loyalty Medal”, 30 Year Police Service Medal
  • 平生章 (평생장) “Life Medal”, 40 Year Police Service Medal
  • 標章 (표장) Commendation Medal/Badge
  • 表彰狀 (표창장) A certificate [letter] of commendation; a citation; a testimonial
  • 襟章 (금장) Lapel/Collar Pin/Badge
  • 褒章 (포장) Merit Medal/Badge
  • 纪念 (기념) “Commemorate”. During the Korean Empire, 긔념 was the standard way of writing “Commemorative” in Hanʼgŭl.
  • 記念 (기념) to commemorate; to mark; to remember; souvenir; memento; keepsake
  • 記章 (기장) Miscellaneous or other Medal. Used for medals below Orders, Merit Medal or Commendation Medal.
  • 記念章 (기념장) Commemorative Medal/Badge. During the Korean Empire, it was written as 긔념 in Hanʼgŭl.
  • 功勞章 (공로장) Merit Medal
  • 有功章 (유공장) Merit Medal
  • 役員章 (역원장) Officer’s Badge
  • 参加章 (참가장) Participation Badge
  • 修錬章 (수동장) Training Badge
  • 誠實章 (성실장) “Faithfulness Medal”, 10 Year Police Service Medal
  • 徽章(휘장) Literally “Beautiful Badge”, but generally translated as “Special Badge”
  • 金 (김) Gold, Au
  • 銀 (은) Silver, Ag
  • 銅 (동) Copper, Cu, some sources also refer to this character as Bronze
  • 鉛 (연) Lead, Pb
  • 鐵 (철) Iron, Fe
  • 牌 (패) Class or grade as in Silver Class or Gold Class
  • 綬 (수) When translated from Chinese to English, you get ‘silk ribbon attached to an official seal or medal’. When translated into Korean, you get the Konglish word 리본, pronounced ‘Ribbon’.
  • 純 (순) Pure as in Pure Silver (Sterling Silver) or Pure Gold
  • 國勢調査 National Census
  • 博覽會 (박람회): Exposition
  • 博覽會 勸業課 (박람회 권업과) Department of Exposition and Industrial Promotion
  • 品評會 (품평회) Product Show
  • 特産物 品評會 (특산물 품평회) Specialty Product Fair
  • 協贊會 (협찬회) (Exposition) Sponsor Association
  • 臨時博覽會陳列館 (림시박람회진렬관) Provisional Exposition Display Hall
  • 臨時博覽會事務所 (림시박람회사무소) Provisional Exposition Department
  • 韓商品博覽會 (한상품박람회) Japanese-Korean Merchandise  Exposition
  • 共進會 (공진회) Industrial exposition
  • 見本市 (견본시) Sample fair
  • 京城博覽會 (경성박람회) Kyŏngsŏng (Seoul) Exposition
  • 競進會 (경진회): Competitive Industrial exhibition
  • 殖産興業 (식산흥업) The promotion of industry
  • 東道西器 (동도서기) Eastern ways and Western technologies
  • 武斷統治 (무단통치) Military Rule (Description of Japanese colonial control from 1910 to 1919)
  • 文化統治 (문화통치) Cultural Rule (Description of Japanese colonial control from 1919-1931)
  • 民族抹殺統治 (민족말살통치)National Annihilation Rule (Description of Japanese colonial control from 1931 to 1945, also known by the slogan 内鮮一体 (내선일분) “Naeje (Japan) and Chosŏn (鮮) are one body”. The attempted genocide of Korea and its culture.
  • 手決 (수결) Personal Signature
  • 明治 (명치) Meiji, or more accurately, 明治天皇 Meiji Emperor of Japan (1852–1912). He reigned from February 3, 1867, until his death on July 30, 1912. His personal name was Mutsuhito (睦仁). (The Korean term 명치 does not translate well when using a Korea to English Translator, generally you get ‘pit of the stomach’.)
  • 大正 (대정) Taishō, or more accurately, 大正天皇 Taisho Emperor of Japan (1879–1926). He reigned from July 30, 1912, until his death on December 25, 1926. His personal name was Yoshihito (嘉仁). (The Korean term 대정 does not translate well when using a Korea to English Translator, generally you get ‘Daejeong’ and not ‘Taishō’.)
  • 昭和 (소화) Shōwa, or more accurately, 昭和天皇 Showa Emperor of Japan (1901–1989). He reigned from December 25, 1926, until his death on January 7, 1989. His personal name was Hirohito 裕仁. (The Korean term 소화 does not translate well when using a Korea to English Translator, generally you get ‘digestion’.)
  • 京城 (경성) Gyeongseong “Capital City”. It translates as capital (京) + fortress (城) and implies that this is where the King resides. Pronounced as Keijo by the Japanese. It was the official name for Seoul, used during the Japanese Occupation of Korea. It is not a new phrase coined by the Japanese, but was a term which has an extensive history throughout Asia. Frequently, translation programs will render it as Beijing (China). During the Chosŏn Dynasty (1392–1910), it started to be called “Seoul” by the public.
  • 鮮満 (선만) Sen-Man Term used until late 1945, by the Japanese for the area encompassing Korea and Manchukuo
  • 鮮満支 (선만지) Sen-Man-Ji Term used until late 1945, by the Japanese for the area encompassing Korea, Manchukuo, and China
  • 満州國 (만주국) State of Manchuria (1932–1934) It was a republic until 1934 and had little international recognition and was under the de facto control of Japan.
  • 満州帝國 (만주제국) Empire of Manchuria (1934–1945) In 1934, it became a constitutional monarchy, with little international recognition and was under the de facto control of Japan.
  • 大満州帝國 (대만주제국) Great Empire of Manchuria (1934–1945)
  • 福爾摩沙 Formosa
  • 台灣 or 臺灣 Taiwan

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