Chapter 6: Talons and Tea Leaves
Simplified Chinese (China) | ||
猎鹰和茶叶 Lièyīng hé cháyè |
猎鹰
lièyīng
= 'hunting hawk' = 'falcon'. 和 hé = 'and'. 茶叶 cháyè = 'tea leaf'. |
Falcon and tea leaves |
Traditional Chinese (Taiwan) | ||
獸爪與茶葉 Shòuzhǎo yǔ cháyè |
獸爪
shòuzhǎo
= 'beast's claws' = 'talons'. 與 yǔ = 'and'. 茶葉 cháyè = 'tea leaf'. |
Talons and tea leaves |
Japanese | ||
鈎爪と茶の葉 Kagitsume to cha-no-ha |
鈎爪
kagi-tsume = 'hook claws' = 'talons'. と to = 'and'. 茶 cha = 'tea'. の no = connecting particle 葉 ha = 'leaf'. |
Talons and tea leaves |
Vietnamese (Chinese characters show etymology) | ||
Móng vuốt và lá trà | móng vuốt
= 'claws, talons'. và = 'and'. lá = 'leaf'. trà = 'tea'. |
Talons and tea leaves |
'Talons and tea leaves' is a reference to two matters: Harry's fate as read in tea leaves in Professor Trelawney's divination class, and the talons of the hippogriff, another of Hagrid's 'loveable' pet creatures.
Talons
The Mainland Chinese version translates 'talons' as 'hunting hawk' (i.e., 'falcon'). A falcon, representing a deadly enemy, is what Professor Trelawney saw in Harry's tea leaves. The connection with the hippogriff is ignored.
The Taiwanese, Japanese, and Vietnamese versions use the term 'talon', which refers directly to one of the hippogriff's physical features.
(A summary of this chapter can be found at Harry Potter Facts. Detailed notes on the chapter can be found at Harry Potter Lexicon)
⇚ Chapter 5 |