General notes
Some of these terms will be repeated throughout the series however we do not translate them directly.
He Ti = Transform/combine etc
Ge = What a youngster calls an older male or a sibling would call their brother
Xiong = A more respectful way of saying Ge
Jie = What a youngster calls an older female or a sibling would call their sister
The only time we leave these terms untranslated is when they are not related; not a brother or sister by blood.
Episode 1
10.08
"Your mother always used to say, "Proper person, proper reflection.""
A Chinese idiom meaning; if a person is proper or righteous, then that is what all will see.
22.30
"There is... hamburgers, sandwiches, coke, juice..."
Hanbao is the Chinese word for hamburger, however it is used to refer to any sandwich containing cooked meat.
18.36
"What is Nan Quan's proficiency in victory?"
Nan Quan or "southern fist" refers to martial arts originating south of the Yangtze River. It includes Hung Kuen, Choi Lei Fut, and Wing Chun.
Episode 2
16.46
"You really can always learn something new from others. It's true."
This proverb has a more literal meaning, "When three people travel together, at least one can teach you something of value."
Episode 3
12.28
"The report says that the poison contains Mercuric Nitrate."
Mercuric Nitrate is an extremely toxic compound of mercury. It appears as colorless crystals or white powder and is non-flammable and water soluble.
Episode 04
These are a few notes to explain the philosophies Armor Heroes is based on. The five heroes are representations of the Chinese elements: wood, fire, earth, metal (also commonly called gold, "the ultimate metal," which is what it will be called in the show), and water. The Chinese elements are well balanced in that each supports or creates another and each destroys or restrains another. Understanding how each element relates to the others will help you understand the show better.
Chinese Elements
The elements support each other by:
Wood feeds Fire; Fire creates Earth (in the form of ashes); Earth bears Metal; Metal carries Water (in a bucket or condensation); and Water nourishes Wood.
The elements restrain each other by:
Wood parts Earth (with roots); Earth absorbs/clouds Water; Water quenches Fire; Fire melts Metal; and Metal chops Wood.
Likewise:
Wood absorbs Water; Water rusts Metal; Metal breaks up Earth; Earth smothers Fire; and Fire burns Wood.
There is also a conversation in episode 04 where Qi Dong refers to the elemental relations and the 6th hexagram chart of the Book of Changes. The 6th chart is called "conflict" and the yang 9 (old yang) reading.
Book of Changes
The Book of Changes, also called Classic of Changes and I Ching, is an ancient text that describes a method of divination (fortune telling). This method of divination involves constructing a hexagram through random generation such as flipping a coin. When complete the hexagram will resemble eight horizontal lines, either solid or split in the middle. Each line of the hexagram is considered either stable ("young") or changing ("old"). Each line can be read in up to four ways corresponding to the cycle of change from yin (negative) to yang (positive) and back again.
old yin (yin changing into yang) is represented by the number 6 and symbol ---x---
young yang (unchanging yang) is represented by the number 7 and symbol --------
young yin (unchanging yin) is represented by the number 8 and symbol --- ---
old yang (yang changing into yin) is represented by the number 9 and symbol ---o---
Basically, the point Qi dong is making in this long confusing conversation is that the Wood Hero should not consider himself any less than the Fire Hero because all the elements are balanced and even. All the heroes must support each other and keep each other in check. One hero's pride, arrogance, or selfishness could be the destruction of them all.
6.15
"Books contain gold vaults. Actually, many things are all written in the texts."
"Books contain gold vaults" means there's a lot to be learned from books.
Episode 5
7.50
"Besides using Zhe Jiang Li Shui's mushroom"
Zhe Jiang Li Shui is a brand of dried mushrooms.
Episode 109.07"Barrel full of shit!" = a useless person
9.09"rice bucket" = rice bucket is a term use to describe people who eat alot but have never successfully done something. Is also another word for useless person. The meaning is quite similar to that of 'barrel of shit.'
13.34"They say you are a god-catcher."
God-catcher is a photographer who captures the best shots.
Episode 1110.19"Heard it looked like a cow."
"How can it look like a cow?"
"You idiot. It's rhinoceros."
Niu is a cow or a bull. Xi Niu is a Rhinoceros.
Episode 1221.52"Striving to do good, but wicked jealousy leads to hostility."
Idiom means that even though one means well by their actions, the result may be hostile.
22.26"A successful combat most often is won by one a great distance away."
Idiom means that battles are won by thinking and figuring out the original problem, even if one is really far away.
Episode 1313.10"110 right? 110 right? Something strange happened."
110 is the emergency number for police services in China.
Episode 14
5.39
"For the children of the Yellow Emperor, "9" is the most important number."
Children of the Yellow Emperor is just a more poetic way to say 'the Chinese people'.
Episode 1712.50: [flashes by too quick/too much text]Xiao Ya Textile Cooperation personal profile name: Lin Jian Ming, Sex: male, Nationality: Han nationality, Province T Town Y , Date of birth: 17th of March 1974 Status:normal person
Note for the above: China has 56 minoritys/nationalitys. The biggest one is the Han nationality with about 95% of the whole population.
Ep 1911.43
"Some spicy meat dumplings and a bowl of sponge gourd soup."
It's made from the same plant as loofahs.
Xiao Ya Enterprise - Little Duck Enterprise
Episode 216.49 "That child. He ate an overlord's meal."
"Overlord's meal" is one that's expected to be free. The peasants are expected to feed their overlord should they stop by for a meal.
Episode 2314.11"Sea cucumber of course means to win."
Sea cucumber is "hai shen" in Chinese. "Shen" also means "to win".
Episode 2621.24"In other words, people like you are a closed gourd."
Men hu lu literally means closed gourd. Figuratively it means an enigma or mystery.
Episode 275.55"As the Wood armor summoner, you should understand the meaning to be hasty and still not obtain."
Means to want something in haste but not getting it.
15.28"Xiao Song, I feel that you should replace your shotgun with a cannon."
Idiom for equipment upgrade.
Episode 2919.34"A mountain can easily change, but a person cannot."
A Chinese idiom meaning it's difficult to change your true nature.
Episode 309.55"But fire already burns our eyebrows, what if by chance something..."
A Chinese idiom meaning, if the problem, like a fire, is already right before you, it cannot be ignored any longer.
