Chapter 21: The Unknowable Room
| Simplified Chinese (Mandarin: China) | ||
| 神秘的房间 Shénmì de fángjiān |
神秘 shénmì = 'secret, mysterious'. 的 de = connecting particle 房间 fángjiān = 'room'. |
The mysterious room |
| Traditional Chinese (Mandarin: 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 (Chinese characters show etymology) | ||
| 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'.
For a similar style of title, see The Unforgiveable Curses and The Unbreakable Vow.
(Detailed notes on the chapter can be found at Harry Potter Lexicon)
| ⇚ Chapter 20 |  |