Chapter 3: The Burrow

Simplified Chinese (Mandarin: China)
陋剧 Lòujū	陋剧 lòujū = 'mean/humble residence'.	The Humble Dwelling
Traditional Chinese (Mandarin: Taiwan)
洞穴屋 Dòngxué-wū	洞穴 dòngxué = 'cavern'. 屋 wū = 'home'	The Cavern Home
Japanese
隠れ穴 Kakure-ana	隠れ kakure- = 'hidden' (from the verb 隠れる kakureru 'to hide'). 穴 ana = 'hole'.	Hidden Hole
Korean
버로우 Beolou	버로우 Beolou = 'Burrow'.	The Burrow
Vietnamese (Chinese characters show etymology)
Trang trại Hang Sóc	trang trại = 'farm, farmhouse, farmstead'. hang = 'cave, den, lair'. sóc = 'squirrel'.	Squirrel Den Farm House
Mongolian (previous)
Үүр Üür	үүр üür = 'nest, lair'.	The Nest
Mongolian (new)
Үүр Üür	үүр üür = 'nest, lair'.	The Nest

'The Burrow' is the affectionate name of the higgledy-piggledy but friendly house belonging to the Weasley's. (For a description of the Burrow, see Harry Potter Lexicon.)

A burrow is a hole inhabitated by an animal. As some have pointed out, 'Weasley' sounds like 'weasel', and weasels live in burrows, suggesting that this is another example of Rowling's whimsical humour. A burrow is not necessarily a damp, dingy little hole; it can be a big rambling burrow like a rabbit warren. The hobbits of Middle-earth ('Lord of the Rings') lived in burrows, too.

How is 'The Burrow' translated?

This is all rather difficult to put into a foreign language, as our translators find out. All struggle to express the meaning of 'burrow' in the sense that seems to be intended by the author.

• The Mainland Chinese translator describes Weasley's house as a 'humble dwelling' or 'mean dwelling' (陋剧 Lòujū). Since the Weasley's lived in a house for friendly, unpretentious people and not a magnificent palace, this captures part of the meaning of 'burrow'.
  
  
• The Chinese (Taiwan) version uses 洞穴 dòngxué meaning 'cavern' plus 屋 wū meaning 'room' or 'house', that is, 洞穴屋 dòngxué-wū 'burrow-house', thus sticking closest to the English in its literal sense — but not necessarily conveying the connotations of the name.
  
  
• Japanese 隠れ穴 kakure-ana 'hidden hole' suggests a place hidden away from the world in which one can be free and at ease. Since the Weasley home is not visible to Muggles and is a place of friendliness and happiness for Harry, this translation also captures part of the meaning.
  
  
• The Vietnamese version calls the Burrow trang trại Hang Sóc, 'Squirrel Den farm house', a rather cute image that is not at all out of place for the Weasley's home. The rustic setting of the house is captured by the notion of a farmhouse or farmstead (trang trại) and the concept of a friendly den is captured by 'squirrel den'.
  
  Note: In the original instalments, the Vietnamese translator entitled this chapter Trang trại Burrow, indicating in a footnote as follows: 'Burrow': Bơ-râu 'burrow' cái hang (thỏ, cáo). This conveys the information that:
  
  (1) 'Burrow' is pronounced Bơ-râu and
  
  (2) It means 'cave / den / lair' (cái hang) of a rabbit (thỏ) or fox (cáo).
  
  
• Both Mongolian translations use the word үүр üür, a convenient word with a broad sense referring to the nest of a bird or lair of an animal.
  
  
• Alone among the translators, the Korean translation simply transliterates the English name as 버로우 Beolou.

(Korean appears thanks to "Hiro".)

(Detailed notes on the chapter can be found at Harry Potter Lexicon)

⇚ Chapter 2

Chapter 4 ⇛