<blockquote>
  <p><strong>兒</strong></p>
  
  <p><a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/90/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/90/</a></p>
  
  <p><em>[4] final particle / suffix, placed after many commonly used nouns to avoid employing one-syllable terms in speech (very common in the Beijing dialect 北京話, see: 兒化, 兒化韻)</em></p>
</blockquote>

<p>~</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"藍天高高雲兒飄飄" --> "High, high blue sky, little cloud float around"</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The dictionary only mentioned 兒 can be used as a suffix, placed after many commonly used nouns to avoid employing one-syllable terms in speech.</p>

<p>In my opinion, adding the 兒 suffix to an object, can also humanize the object. For example, calling a goat '羊兒' or '羊羊' instead of '羊' give it a hint of youthful, human character. (like in typical baby talk)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-14T14:39:28.537Z
The 儿 here is not 儿化. It should be read as a separate syllable.
fefe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-14T14:56:57.617Z
"Final particle / suffix " is not 兒化. 兒 in 雲兒 or 羊兒 is read as a separate syllable. It said: "to avoid employing one-syllable terms in speech" should give you the hint. I don't know why CantoDict mentioned 兒化, 兒化韻  may be because 兒化 was developed from popular use of 兒 suffix?
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-14T14:28:56.120Z
2017-10-14T14:28:56.120Z
Tang Ho
<p>The short answer is, you cannot always translate it into another language as a whole because 兒 is a conceptual language “tag” that denotes personal affection which not every language has.</p>
<p>In addition to denoting affection or familiarity, the suffix &quot;兒&quot; (ér) in Chinese can also add a sense of playfulness or colloquialism to a noun. For example:</p>
<p>大塊頭兒(dà kuài tóu ér) means &quot;big fella.&quot;
螺絲起兒 (luó sī qǐ ér) refers to screwdriver- the helpful thing that we use all the time.
花兒 (huā ér) means flowers- that you like, as if it’s a friend.
孩兒 (hái ér) means a child- whom you like.</p>
<p>To fully get the imagery of this line across, it requires the literary skills and sensitivity of the translator to the context, as a direct, strait forward translation does not exist.</p>
<p>Since a direct translation doesn’t exist, to me, a possible transcreation for 雲兒 could be 'lovely/playful/delightful/happy/free clouds,' as these adjectives capture the sentiment of affection while fitting the context, in which the calf is missing its home while on his way of being sold at the market, and these positive, high-spirited adjectives are in great contrast with his present misery, emphasizing how much he wishes that he could go back.</p>
<p>The same applies to 風兒.</p>
<p>I hope you find my answer helpful.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-03-27T13:56:44.267Z
2024-03-27T15:08:44.127Z
2024-03-27T15:08:44.127Z
chiayingbella
<p>In <a href="https://youtu.be/9DBw6gN05Dc?t=99" rel="nofollow noreferrer">the lyrics of a Chinese translation of the song</a> "Dana Dana (דאַנאַ דאַנאַ)"/"Dos Kelbl (דאָס קעלבל)", we find the line:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>藍天高高雲兒飄飄</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I presume that "<strong>雲</strong>" (<code>ㄩㄣˊ</code> / <code>yún</code>) stands for "<strong>clouds</strong>" in this context, but then how to translate "<strong>雲兒</strong>" as a whole please?</p>

<translation><meaning>
How to translate "雲兒" into English?
# How to translate "雲兒" into English?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-10-14)

In [the lyrics of a Chinese translation of the song](https://youtu.be/9DBw6gN05Dc?t=99) "Dana Dana (דאַנאַ דאַנאַ)"/"Dos Kelbl (דאָס קעלבל)", we find the line:

> 藍天高高雲兒飄飄

I presume that "**雲**" (`ㄩㄣˊ` / `yún`) stands for "**clouds**" in this context, but then how to translate "**雲兒**" as a whole please?

**Tags:** translation, meaning

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-10-14. Score: 0 | Accepted answer

> **兒**
>
> <http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/90/>
>
> *[4] final particle / suffix, placed after many commonly used nouns to avoid employing one-syllable terms in speech (very common in the Beijing dialect 北京話, see: 兒化, 兒化韻)*

~

> "藍天高高雲兒飄飄" --> "High, high blue sky, little cloud float around"

The dictionary only mentioned 兒 can be used as a suffix, placed after many commonly used nouns to avoid employing one-syllable terms in speech.

In my opinion, adding the 兒 suffix to an object, can also humanize the object. For example, calling a goat '羊兒' or '羊羊' instead of '羊' give it a hint of youthful, human character. (like in typical baby talk)

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: The 儿 here is not 儿化. It should be read as a separate syllable.  
> **username_1**: "Final particle / suffix " is not 兒化. 兒 in 雲兒 or 羊兒 is read as a separate syllable. It said: "to avoid employing one-syllable terms in speech" should give you the hint. I don't know why CantoDict mentioned 兒化, 兒化韻  may be because 兒化 was developed from popular use of 兒 suffix?  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2024-03-27. Score: 0

The short answer is, you cannot always translate it into another language as a whole because 兒 is a conceptual language “tag” that denotes personal affection which not every language has.

In addition to denoting affection or familiarity, the suffix "兒" (ér) in Chinese can also add a sense of playfulness or colloquialism to a noun. For example:

大塊頭兒(dà kuài tóu ér) means "big fella."
螺絲起兒 (luó sī qǐ ér) refers to screwdriver- the helpful thing that we use all the time.
花兒 (huā ér) means flowers- that you like, as if it’s a friend.
孩兒 (hái ér) means a child- whom you like.

To fully get the imagery of this line across, it requires the literary skills and sensitivity of the translator to the context, as a direct, strait forward translation does not exist.

Since a direct translation doesn’t exist, to me, a possible transcreation for 雲兒 could be 'lovely/playful/delightful/happy/free clouds,' as these adjectives capture the sentiment of affection while fitting the context, in which the calf is missing its home while on his way of being sold at the market, and these positive, high-spirited adjectives are in great contrast with his present misery, emphasizing how much he wishes that he could go back.

The same applies to 風兒.

I hope you find my answer helpful.


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