could someone help me with a translation please ?

[Guest pHaL]

Well i've been trying to find a translation for a phrase using online

englisch/chinese dictionaries. One word I can manage but a phrase is to much for me... so I figured I'd try and get some help from people who actually know the language (hence my visit to this forum)

So here goes... what do I want to know...

I'd like to have the phrase 'One who is Many' translated into Chinese characters. What's it for you ask... well... it's sad but true... it's a tattoo *sigh* ;)

The idea is this... 'one who is many' stands for multiple personality's in

one person and I want to use the Chinese characters as sort of a basic

outline or shape to work from...

Think of it as the tattoo being based on Chinese but ending up as not quite real Chinese... sort of a personalized version of... know what I mean.

'Why would one want to change them Characters' you aks ? Well since I'm not chinese myself and don't have any real connection to it it doesn't feel right to use the real characters. It would be adopting a culture that's not mine and thus well... sort of abusing it. That's how I feel anywayz...

So if you would be so kind as to translate "One who is Many" into Chinese (characters or text will both do) I would be very very gratefull !!!

Thanx and greetings

pHaL

[confucius]

一人多面

Yi Ren Duo Mian

One Person, Many Faces

[Guest pHaL]

Thanx confucius, appreciate the effort but you translation it's a bit to... well obvious, if you know what I mean. Want to keep it a bit more abstract so Chinese people who happen to see still have to wonder what it realy means

Something like 'many composing one', 'one consisting of many' or something in that direction would also do the trick.

[geek_frappa]

hhm... i know what you mean, but Chinese people are a lot more direct than the movies would lead others to believe.

are you look for something mysterious? esoteric? and more acceptable of chinese stereotypes?

[confucius]

變面大龍

Bian Mian Da Long

Changing Faces Master Chameleon

"Bian Mian" is the Chinese Sichuan opera tradition of rapid mask changing by a single performer. The Chinese word for chameleon is "bian se long" or "changing face dragon"

By replacing the character for color (se) with big (da) the meaning of Master is implied, plus this tattoo includes the cool looking character for dragon and so I think this would be a clever tattoo for you.

[geek_frappa]

or many something a little more space-like?

"I am the beginning, the end, the one who is many.　I am the Borg."

[Guest pHaL]

geek_frappa

hhm... i know what you mean, but Chinese people are a lot more direct than the movies would lead others to believe.

are you look for something mysterious? esoteric? and more acceptable of chinese stereotypes?

Well nothing mysterious or something... the tatto has to mean that one personality is built up of many different personalities... but without actaully telling everyone it's about personalities... hehe

So it's kinda hard because it's so abstact I figure...

confucius

Changing Faces Master Chameleon

Hehe... I do admire your creativity and appreciate your suggestions. But that's just a bit to much

[Guest pHaL]

or many something a little more space-like?

"I am the beginning, the end, the one who is many.　I am the Borg."

Besides the space/borg thing that's kinda the direction I'm looking for yes... as in one entity consisting of many.

Think in the direction of Shizophrenic only less serious ofcourse.

[nnt]

一分为多

多合为一

see:

http://www.5-gold.com/simplified/simtaichi02.htm

for an example of usage and a more thorough discussion on

"一是一，二是一，三也是一" in Taiji Quan...

Perhaps that"s why computers were not invented by Chinese...

[Quest]

一人九品

from 十人生九品，品品不同人。

it has the same format as 一言九鼎

[Guest pHaL]

see:

http://www.5-gold.com/simplified/simtaichi02.htm

for an example of usage and a more thorough discussion on

"一是一，二是一，三也是一" in Taiji Quan...

Hehe... that's very nice but uh... I can't read chinese

[nnt]

Never mind the link.

"I am the beginning, the end, the one who is many. (I am agent Smith )" could be translated as :

我是人类之始,我是人类之终,我是"一分为多, 多合为一"的人

[Lu]

Can't you find something fitting in the Daodejing? Then it would only be a matter of finding the corresponding Chinese.