Chapter 21: The Unknowable Room

 

(For the romanisation of Chinese and Japanese, see Transliteration. To understand the writing systems of CJV, see Writing Systems. For word order notes, see Word Order)

Where a Vietnamese word has been borrowed from Chinese, the original Chinese character is shown in parentheses.

 

Chinese (Mainland)	神秘的房间 Shénmì de fángjiān	神秘 shénmì = 'secret, mysterious'. 的 de = connecting particle 房间 fángjiān = 'room'.	The mysterious room
Chinese (Taiwan)	不可知的房間 Bù kě zhī de fángjiān	不 bù = 'not'. 可 kě = 'can'. 知 zhī = 'know' (Classical form, modern word is 知道 zhīdào) '. 的 de = connecting particle 房間 fángjiān = 'room'.	The unknowable room
Japanese	不可知の部屋 Fukachi no heya	不可知 fukachi = 'unknowable'. の no = connecting particle 部屋 heya = 'room'.	The unknowable room
Vietnamese	Phòng Bất Khả Tri	Phòng (房) = 'room'. Bất (不) = 'not'. Khả (可) = 'can, to be able to'. Tri (知) = 'to know'.	The unknowable room

The 'unknowable room' is the Room of Requirement, used as a place to keep things that no one else can find.

The Taiwanese, Japanese, and Vietnamese translators all use the expression 不可知 bù kě zhī (Japanese 不可知 fukachi, Vietnamese bất khả tri) 'cannot be known, unknowable'. In the case of Japanese and Vietnamese, this expression draws on Chinese word-building traditions.

The Mainland Chinese translator renders the title as 神秘的房间 shénmì de fángjiān, 'the mysterious room'. While an acceptable translation, the use of 神秘 shénmì is a little tired considering that it was also used to translate 'The Secret Riddle'.

(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 20

Chapter 22