昏倒-你几班的?

English translation: Oh, my goodness. Which class were you in?

18:51 Oct 24, 2007
Chinese to English translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Chinese term or phrase: 昏倒-你几班的?
This is commenting a photo of Chinese people in their school clothes? Any suggestions on how to say this in colloquial English? Is the person asking what class they're in? Thanks in advance!
Caroline Moreno
United States
Local time: 03:27
English translation:Oh, my goodness. Which class were you in?
Explanation:
I believe the person is expressing shock at the (apparently) old-fashioned clothes seen in the picture.

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Note added at 42 mins (2007-10-24 19:33:44 GMT)
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If so, him asking for the class year would be a tad redundant?
Selected response from:

peiling
Germany
Local time: 11:27
Grading comment
Thanks everyone! I also thought of "Wow!" for 昏倒.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4Oh, my goodness. Which class were you in?
peiling
4 +2My God, which class were you in?
allankliu


  

Answers


21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
Oh, my goodness. Which class were you in?


Explanation:
I believe the person is expressing shock at the (apparently) old-fashioned clothes seen in the picture.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 42 mins (2007-10-24 19:33:44 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

If so, him asking for the class year would be a tad redundant?

peiling
Germany
Local time: 11:27
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in MalayMalay
PRO pts in category: 44
Grading comment
Thanks everyone! I also thought of "Wow!" for 昏倒.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Actually I think it's because he's in the same class as the person that posted the picture but he didn't know it until he saw the picture.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  orientalhorizon
6 hrs

agree  Ming Gao: This sounds more natural.
6 hrs

agree  FourSeasons
15 hrs

agree  Jason Ma: Actually I hear young students using English word "faint" in similar situations, though awkwardly.
19 hrs
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
My God, which class were you in?


Explanation:
A little difference with asker, I do not think classmate will not recognize each other several years later. I think these guys were in same grade, but not in same class. When the author saw the pix, s/he was so surprised that s/he wondered this question.

However for translation, this term is enough. But in China, nowadays. they will not use 昏倒, but use faint in English instead. You will see more and more instances in Internet.

allankliu
Local time: 18:27
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks for the input. The thing is- although it's colloquial, this phrase can be offensive.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  orientalhorizon
1 hr

agree  Jason Ma: Even my 8 years old son sometimes say "magor" without knowing its implication, it's a varition of "my god" in China.
15 hrs
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