<p>我的包裹发到了南京，但是我人在北京，一个完全相反的「京」！<br/>
我的包裹发到了南京，但是我人在北京，怎么没发到东京？<br/>
我人在北京，但是我的包裹却偏偏背道而驰，跑到南京去了！<br/>
我人在北京，但是我的包裹却和我渐行渐远，往南京去了！</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-19T15:08:24.923Z
I like the second one: 我的包裹发到了南京，但是我人在北京，怎么没发到东京？
sylvia
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-19T17:38:22.413Z
@Sylvia While this is funny, you will be surprised on how many Staffs taking the joke seriously with your package actually ends up in Tokyo
Alex
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-19T17:50:40.513Z
@Alex right, it depends on the context whether to use it or not...
sylvia
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-20T02:18:22.543Z
@sylvia Sorry, I missed a **的** in the first sentence.
xenophōn
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-20T02:18:39.783Z
@Alex Sorry, I missed a **的** in the first sentence.
xenophōn
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-19T13:27:34.980Z
2019-11-20T02:10:36.483Z
2019-11-20T02:10:36.483Z
xenophōn
<p>In speech, you can say: 我人在'北'京，快递却发到了'南'京. </p>

<p>It would add some joking effect when you put a bit emphasis on 北 and 南. </p>

<p>You don't have to say they are opposite literally. Your audience would seize that from your tone, which is the whole point of the joke. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-19T10:20:49.013Z
2019-11-19T10:20:49.013Z
dan
<p>My package went to Nanjing, but I'm in Beijing; that's the complete opposite Jing.<br>
我的包裹去了南京，但我在北京，这是两个完全反方向的京！</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-19T14:12:37.607Z
2019-11-19T14:12:37.607Z
Pedroski
<p>Your translation is accurate, but the point is that the original joke isn't funny, thus making the translation strange.</p>

<p>Advice 1:</p>

<p>Better not state both 北京 &amp; 南京.</p>

<p>快递投给了南京，跟我在的京城反了个边。</p>

<p>Advice 2:</p>

<p>Better not play on 南 &amp; 北.</p>

<p>我人在北京，快递给发了南京，真是中南海的文件发了总统府。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-19T11:23:31.943Z
2019-11-19T11:28:42.447Z
2019-11-19T11:28:42.447Z
Toosky Hierot
<p>I'm trying to quip</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>My package went to Nanjing, but I'm in Beijing; that's the complete opposite Jing.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>For it to be funny in English, the reader would have to know that 京 in Nanjing 南京 and Beijing 北京 is the same, and the joke is a play on how 南 and 北 are opposites.</p>

<p>Here's my attempt at writing it, which is a fairly literal translation:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我的快递发到了南京，但是我在北京。那儿是完全相反的“京”。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>It's meant to be a joke.  However, I'm uncomfortable with the atypical grammar here.  I'm not sure it's even possible to express this in Chinese.</p>

<p><strong>Question</strong>: Is it possible to quip "My package went to Nanjing, but I'm in Beijing; that's the complete opposite Jing"?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-21T02:25:02.047Z
这让我想起一名专门翻译国家文稿的翻译员讲过的一些翻译难点，其中就有一句毛主席说过的，"（大概讲的是革命的必然性）就算没有我毛泽东，也还坐有毛泽西。"这个就特别难翻译。当然，他也没讲具体是怎么翻译的。
Zhang
<grammar><humor>
Is it possible to quip "My package went to Nanjing, but I'm in Beijing; that's the complete opposite Jing"?
# Is it possible to quip "My package went to Nanjing, but I'm in Beijing; that's the complete opposite Jing"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-11-19)

I'm trying to quip

> My package went to Nanjing, but I'm in Beijing; that's the complete opposite Jing.

For it to be funny in English, the reader would have to know that 京 in Nanjing 南京 and Beijing 北京 is the same, and the joke is a play on how 南 and 北 are opposites.

Here's my attempt at writing it, which is a fairly literal translation:

> 我的快递发到了南京，但是我在北京。那儿是完全相反的“京”。

It's meant to be a joke. However, I'm uncomfortable with the atypical grammar here. I'm not sure it's even possible to express this in Chinese.

**Question**: Is it possible to quip "My package went to Nanjing, but I'm in Beijing; that's the complete opposite Jing"?

**Tags:** grammar, humor

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 这让我想起一名专门翻译国家文稿的翻译员讲过的一些翻译难点，其中就有一句毛主席说过的，"（大概讲的是革命的必然性）就算没有我毛泽东，也还坐有毛泽西。"这个就特别难翻译。当然，他也没讲具体是怎么翻译的。  

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## 4 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-11-19. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

我的包裹发到了南京，但是我人在北京，一个完全相反的「京」！  
我的包裹发到了南京，但是我人在北京，怎么没发到东京？  
我人在北京，但是我的包裹却偏偏背道而驰，跑到南京去了！  
我人在北京，但是我的包裹却和我渐行渐远，往南京去了！

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: I like the second one: 我的包裹发到了南京，但是我人在北京，怎么没发到东京？  
> **username_4**: @username_3 While this is funny, you will be surprised on how many Staffs taking the joke seriously with your package actually ends up in Tokyo  
> **username_3**: @username_4 right, it depends on the context whether to use it or not...  
> **username_2**: @username_3 Sorry, I missed a **的** in the first sentence.  
> **username_2**: @username_4 Sorry, I missed a **的** in the first sentence.  

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### Answer by username_5 on 2019-11-19. Score: 2

In speech, you can say: 我人在'北'京，快递却发到了'南'京.

It would add some joking effect when you put a bit emphasis on 北 and 南.

You don't have to say they are opposite literally. Your audience would seize that from your tone, which is the whole point of the joke.


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### Answer by username_6 on 2019-11-19. Score: 1

My package went to Nanjing, but I'm in Beijing; that's the complete opposite Jing.  
我的包裹去了南京，但我在北京，这是两个完全反方向的京！


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### Answer by username_7 on 2019-11-19. Score: 1

Your translation is accurate, but the point is that the original joke isn't funny, thus making the translation strange.

Advice 1:

Better not state both 北京 & 南京.

快递投给了南京，跟我在的京城反了个边。

Advice 2:

Better not play on 南 & 北.

我人在北京，快递给发了南京，真是中南海的文件发了总统府。


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