Writing in the World of Avatar

Writing and literature form an integral part in societies all across the World of Avatar. All four nations use a common system of characters borrowed from the Chinese system for daily purposes. The four nations primarily use writing for communication and literary purposes, but there are some who practice calligraphy, such as Piandao.

Writing materials


Writing in the Avatar World is achieved through several means. This is primarily through the use of brush, ink and paper; however, there are also engravings. The actual written language is Chinese, with thousands of characters made up of different kinds of strokes, and is usually written top down, right to left, though this is not always the case.

Brush
The brush is the traditional writing implement in the World of Avatar. The body of the brush can be made from either bamboo or wood, or other more rare materials. On the other hand, the head of the brush can be made from the hair of a wide variety of animals.

Paper
Paper is used for scrolls, books, letters, and memos. Paperweights are typically used to smooth out the paper for writing; these are, basically, just two plain rectangular blocks of wood.

Characters
Traditional Chinese characters are used for all writing in the Avatar World. There are tens of thousands of characters, but only a few thousand are required for day-to-day communication. There are several types of characters used in order to complete a sentence and thus be able to make text readable.


 * Pictograms - These characters are derived from stylized, simplified drawings of an object. This type of character is used to represent that object. Examples include 日 (rì) for "sun", 月 (yuè) for "moon".
 * Ideograms - Although not a direct derivative of pictures like pictograms, ideograms are related to them in that they are a stylized abstract representation of an idea. Direct examples include 上 shàng "up" and 下 xià "down". Notice that the character for up literally points up and the other literally points down.
 * Ideogrammic compounds - These are created through combining elements of pictograms and ideograms to form another abstract representation of an idea or object. An example is that doubling the pictogram 木 mu "tree" produces 林 lin "forest". There are literally more trees. The existence of this category as an independent category is disputed in the real world.
 * Phono-semantic compounds - The name is complex, but most characters fall under this category. It is impossible to be able to draw absolutely everything into a character, hence the existence and size of this category. These characters are usually made of two parts. One part is a small pictograph that gives a representation of the idea of the character, and the other, larger part is another character that gives an idea to the pronunciation of the character. For example, one of the characters for river is 河 (hé). The three strokes to the left are a stylization of water, and the right part is the character 可 (ke).
 * There are a few more categories, but the above are enough to summarize the types of existing characters.

Calligraphy


Calligraphy is a form of art where one writes, or rather, draws or paints characters in a particularly artistic way to emphasize its beauty and shape. The paper, ink, brush, and inkstone are essential implements in calligraphy. A paperweight is also used to keep the paper straight and flat on the table, negating the need for one's hand to touch the clean paper. Only the highest quality types are used. It is unknown how widely calligraphy is practiced, but Piandao taught Sokka its basics.

Chinese character translations
In Mandarin, each character is one syllable. For example, Yue's name is pronounced Yuè, rather than "you-eh." The list here is of Traditional Chinese characters. Illegible or unknown characters are here represented using the letter X.

People
The format of this list of name translations is: Name - Traditional Hanzi (simplified Hanzi if different) - Mandarin Pronunciation in Hanyu Pinyin/Pronunciation in other languages - English translation. Names that come from the Chinese translation of the show are noted with an asterisk, and are of dubious canonical value. Note that because some character's names come from languages other than Chinese, characters may not be given for all.

Main characters

 * Aang: 安昂 - pinyin: ānáng - Peaceful soaring.
 * Katara: 卡塔拉 - pinyin: kǎtǎlā - This name probably comes from the Greek word katara, which means "beautiful", and therefore it is entirely phonetic. The individual parts mean "block", "pagoda" and "pull".
 * Sokka: 索卡 - pinyin: suǒkǎ - Probably phonetic, since the individual parts mean "dull" or "ask" and "block".
 * Toph Bei Fong: 北方拓芙 - pinyin: běifāng tuòfú - Surname means "North region" and given name means "expanding lotus". Note that in Chinese, surnames always come first.
 * Zuko: 蘇科 (苏科) - pinyin: sūkē - Resurrected rule.
 * Iroh: 艾洛 - pinyin: àiluò - Probably phonetic, since the first character means "Chinese mugwort" (a flower, which is not used to name males), and the second character is the name of a river in China.
 * Appa: 阿柏 - pinyin: ābǎi - Characters mean "Cypress"; the word "Appa" corresponds or is similar to cognates for "father" in several non-Chinese languages.
 * Momo: 模模 - pinyin: mómó - Transliteration of Japanese word "momo", meaning "peach"; used as a common pet name in Japan (much as "Fido" is used in the west). Characters mean "imitate".
 * Azula*: 阿蘇拉 - pinyin: āsūlā - Phonetic; characters mean "ah", "revive", and "pull". The character "su" is also used in Sozin, Azulon, and Zuko's names.
 * Mai*: 梅 - pinyin: méi - Plum blossom.
 * Ty Lee*: 泰麗 - pinyin: tàilì - Calm and beautiful.

Water Tribe

 * Yue: 月 - pinyin: yuè - Moon.

Earth Kingdom

 * Bumi: 布米 - pinyin: bùmǐ - Probably phonetic: characters mean "spread rice". 'Bumi' means earth in Indonesian and Malay.
 * Chin: 秦 - pinyin: qín - Qin was the surname of controversial emperor Qin Shi Huang, who unified China. It referred to the state he ruled prior to conquering the rest of China.
 * Hong Lee (Zuko): 洪禮 (洪礼) - pinyin: hóng lǐ - Hong is a traditional Chinese surname meaning "vast" or "deluge"; Lee references the Confucian virtue li, meaning "propriety" or ritual. He may be named for Li Hong, one of the series' early concept artists.
 * Hong Mushi (Iroh): 洪慕士 - pinyin: hóng mùshì - Hong is a traditional Chinese surname meaning "vast" or "deluge"; Mushi means "admire soldiers".
 * Jet*: 傑 - pinyin: jié - Heroic.
 * Kyoshi: 虛子 - pinyin: xūzǐ, Japanese: kyoshi - "Empty child"; this was the pen name of the famous Japanese poet Takahama Kiyoshi.
 * Long Feng: 龍鳳 (龙凤) - pinyin: lóng fèng - Dragon Phoenix (traditionally stands for "Royal Throne").
 * Miyuki: 美雪 - pinyin: měixuě, Japanese: miyuki - Beautiful snow (common Japanese girl's name).
 * Oh: 吳 - pinyin: wú, Korean: o - Oh (Wu in Chinese) is a common surname in the Far East. It refers to the ancient Kingdom of Wu in China.
 * Oma: 奧瑪 (奥玛) - pinyin: àomǎ, Korean: oma - Mysterious Carnelian.
 * Oyaji 親父 (亲父) - pinyin: qīnfù, Japanese: oyaji - Japanese informal term for "dad".
 * Pao: 包 - pinyin: bāo - Bao is a traditional Chinese surname meaning "To cover" and one of the Hundred Classical Surnames. It is a pun of the character 泡 (pāo), meaning to boil water.
 * Pu-on Tim: 浦安添 - pinyin: pǔ āntiàn, Cantonese: pu on tim - Pu is a traditional Chinese surname meaning "beach"; On-Tim means "Increasing Peace".
 * Shu: 舒 - pinyin: shū - Shu is a traditional Chinese surname meaning "relax".
 * The Boulder: 大塊石 (大块石) - pinyin: dàkuàishí - Big rock.
 * Xin Fu: 辛富 - pinyin: xīn fù - Xin is a traditional Chinese surname meaning "bitter"; Fu means "wealth".
 * Aunt Wu: 巫 - pinyin: wū - Wu is a rare Chinese surname meaning "sorceress" or "shaman".
 * Yu: 余 - pinyin: yú - Yu is a common Chinese surname meaning "surplus".

Fire Nation

 * Azulon*: 阿蘇隆 - pinyin: āsūlóng - Revive prosperity.
 * Chan: 陳 - pinyin: chén, Cantonese: chan - Chen/Chan is an extremely common Chinese surname referring to the ancient State of Chen in central China.
 * Chey: 濟 (济) - pinyin: jǐ, Korean: che - To ferry; to help.
 * Ding: 丁 - pinyin: dīng - Ding is a common Chinese surname meaning "robust" or "masculine".
 * Ilah*: 愛拉 - pinyin: àilā - Love and help.
 * Jeong Jeong: 琤琤 - pinyin: chēngchēng - The sound of tinkling gems.
 * Liang: 梁 - pinyin: liáng - Liang is an extremely common Chinese surname meaning "bridge" or "beam".
 * Lu Ten: 路騰 (路腾) - pinyin: lùténg - Gallop over a road.
 * Mongke: - (Mongolian: möngke) - Mongolian name meaning eternal: Name of the fourth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire who conquered Iraq, Syria and Vietnam.
 * Ogodei: - (Mongolian: ögedei) - Name of Genghis Khan's third son and second Great Khan of the Mongol Empire.
 * Ozai: 敖載 (敖载) - pinyin: áozǎi - Carry proudly.
 * Roku*: 羅古 - pinyin: luógǔ - Phonetic: characters mean "net" and "ancient".
 * Sozin: 蘇進 (苏进) - pinyin: sūjin - Revival and progress.
 * Tom-Tom: 湯湯 (汤汤) - pinyin: tāngtāng - Phonetic: characters mean "soup" or "hot water".
 * Yeh-Lu: - (Khitan: yelü) - the family name of Yelü Chucai, an adviser of Ogedei Khan.

Air Nomads

 * Gyatso - (Tibetan) - Tibetan name meaning "Ocean of Wisdom."
 * Pasang - (Tibetan) - Tibetan name meaning "born on Friday."
 * Tashi - (Tibetan) - Tibetan name meaning "Good fortune/auspiciousness."
 * Tenzin - (Tibetan) - Tibetan name meaning "Defender of the Faith."

Neutral

 * Pathik - (Hindi) - Hindi name meaning "traveler."
 * Pema - (Tibetan) - Tibetan name meaning "Lotus flower."

Spirits

 * Hei Bai: 黑白 - pinyin: hēibái - Black and white.
 * La: 拉 - pinyin: lā - Pull.
 * Tui: 推 - pinyin: tuī - Push.
 * Wan Shi Tong: 萬知堂 (万知堂) - pinyin: wànzhītáng - Hall of Ten Thousand Knowledge.

Bending
The format of this list of location translations is: Bending Art: Traditional Hanzi (Simplified Hanzi if different) - Mandarin Pronunciation (in Hanyu Pinyin) - English translation.


 * Airbending: 截氣神功 (截气神功) - jie qi shen gong - Divine Ability to Halt Air.
 * Waterbending: 截水神功 - jie shui shen gong - Divine Ability to Halt Water.
 * Earthbending: 運土術 (运土术) - yun tu shu - Ability to Move Earth.
 * Firebending: 制火術 (制火术) - zhi huo shu - Ability to Manipulate Fire.

It is unknown how Energybending is written.

Location and organization names
The format of this list of location translations is: Location: Traditional Hanzi (simplified Hanzi if different) - Mandarin Pronunciation (in Hanyu Pinyin) - English translation.

Water Tribe

 * Northern Water Tribe 北方水族 - běifāng shuǐzú - (Literal)
 * Southern Water Tribe 南方水族 - nánfāng shuǐzú - (Literal)

Earth Kingdom

 * Earth Kingdom: 土國 (土国) - tǔ guó - (literal)
 * Ba Sing Se: 永固城 - yǒng gù chéng - Eternally Solid City.
 * Cave of Two Lovers: - 情人洞 - qíngrén dòng - (literal)
 * Chin Village: 秦 - qín - Name of an ancient state.
 * Full Moon Bay: 滿月灣 (满月湾) - mǎnyuè wān - (literal)
 * Gan Jin: 乾淨 - gān jìng - Clean.
 * Gaoling: 高陵 - gāo líng - High Hill.
 * Kyoshi Island - 虛子島 - xūzǐ dǎo - (literal, see Names section for translation of Kyoshi)
 * Nan Shan River: 南山川 - nán shān chuān - Southern Mountain River.
 * Omashu: 奥瑪舒城 (奥玛舒城) - ào mǎ shū chéng - Transliteration of word "Omashu", "chéng" means city.
 * Senlin Village: 森林村 - sēnlín cūn - Forest Village, or Village in a Forest.
 * Serpent's Pass: 盤蛇關 (盘蛇关) - pán shé guān - Coiled Snake Pass.
 * Si Wong Desert: 死亡沙漠 - sǐwáng shāmò - Desert of Death.
 * South Sea: 南海 - nánhǎi - (literal)
 * Wan Shi Tong's Library: 萬知堂神祕圖書館 (万知堂神秘图书馆) - wàn zhī táng shénmì túshūguǎn - (literal, see Names section for translation of Wan Shi Tong)
 * Yu Dao: 玉島 (玉岛) - yù dǎo - Jade Island.
 * Zhang: 髒 (脏) - zāng - Dirty.

Fire Nation

 * Fire Nation: 烈火國 (烈火国) - liè huǒ guó - Raging Fire Nation.
 * Fire Nation Capital: 皇家首都 - huángjiā shǒudū - Imperial Capital City.
 * Capital Island: 首都島 (首都岛) - shǒudū dǎo - (Literal)
 * Crescent Island: 新月島 (新月岛) - xīnyuè dǎo - New Moon Island.
 * Dragonbone Catacombs: 龍骨墓窟 (龙骨墓窟) - lóng gǔ mùkū - (Literal)
 * Ember Island: 餘燼島 (余烬岛) - yújìn dǎo - (literal)
 * New Ozai (Omashu): 新敖載城 - xīn áozài chéng- literal; "cheng" means walled city or castle.

Businesses and organizations

 * Ba Sing Se University: 永固城大學 (永固城大学) - yǒng gù chéng dàxué - (literal, see above for translation of Ba Sing Se)
 * Ba Sing Se Zoo: 快樂動物園 (快乐动物园) - kuàilè dòngwùyuán - Happy Zoo.
 * Ember Island Theater: 餘烬島劇院 (余烬岛剧院) - yújìn dǎo jùyuàn - (literal)
 * Fancy Lady Day Spa 貴婦美容院 (贵妇美容院) - guìfù měiróngyuàn - (literal)
 * Happy Wanderer's Opera Troupe: 快樂浪人歌劇團 (快乐浪人歌剧团) - kuàilè làngrén gējùtuán - (literal)
 * Jasmine Dragon: 茉莉龍 (茉莉龙) - mòlì lóng - (literal)
 * Master Yu's Earthbending Academy: - 余師傅著名運土術武館 (余师傅著名运土术武馆)- yú shīfu zhùmíng yùntǔshù wǔguǎn - (literal)
 * Pao Family Tea House: 包氏茶館 (包氏茶馆) - bāo shì cháguǎn - (literal)

Opening sequence
At the top and bottom of the Avatar map are two separate rows of four Chinese characters in classical form. They form a couplet that can be translated as:

"群雄四分 (Qúnxióng sì fēn) - Powers are divided into Four 天下一匡 (Tiānxià yīkuāng) - The World [all under heaven] is guided by One ('One' is referring to the Avatar)"

The four inscriptions on the corners are referred to each element (nation), and can be translated to:

"水善 (Shuǐ shàn) - Water is Benevolent 土強 (Tǔ qiáng) - Earth is Strong 火烈 (Huǒ liè) - Fire is Fierce 气和 (Qì hé) - Air is Peaceful"

Above the Avatar title slide, the characters can be translated to:


 * 降世神通  (Jiàng shì shén tōng) - Someone who knows very much and sees clearly, much like a god (AKA, the Avatar).

The Warriors of Kyoshi

 * The fan the statue of Kyoshi holds to her dress is inscribed with the character 京 (jīng, kyō in Japanese), which means "capital". This character also appears on the sleeves of the Kyoshi Warriors' uniform. The fan in Kyoshi's outstretched hand carries the character 士 (shì), meaning "warrior". These two characters together make up Kyoshi's name.
 * Unagi (鰻) is the Japanese word for "freshwater eel".

Winter Solstice Part 1: The Spirit World

 * The circles on the floor of Roku's Sanctuary contain the characters for various celestial events; 春分 (chūn fēn), the Spring Equinox, 夏至 (xià zhì), the summer solstice, 秋分 (qiū fēn), the Autumn Equinox, and 冬至 (dōng zhì), the winter solstice. These are all part of the traditional east Asian calendar.

The Waterbending Scroll

 * The left side of the scroll says 截水神功練習第一式(Jié shuǐ shéngōng liànxí dì yīshì), which can be translated as "Waterbending drill first form". The right side says 水單鞭(Shuǐ dān biān), which translate as "water single whip". Since the term "Waterbending" is not a real word in Chinese, the phrase ( 截水神功 )(Jié shuǐ shéngōng) that creators of the series use literally translates as "cut off water divine ability".

The Blue Spirit



 * Aang's wanted poster reads as follows:
 * 緝拿 - 降世神通(Jīná - jiàng shì shéntōng)
 * 該逃犯身懷截氣神功(Gāi táofàn shēn huái jié qì shéngōng)
 * 能制起旋風飛遁如風(Néng zhì qǐ xuànfēng fēi dùn rú fēng)
 * 捕者慎之慎之(Bǔ zhě shènzhī shènzhī)
 * 烈火君令(Lièhuǒ jūn lìng)
 * Wanted — The Avatar. This fugitive knows Airbending, can create whirlwinds, and flee like the wind. Hunters, be extremely cautious! By decree of the Fire Lord.

The Fortuneteller

 * The calligraphy on the screen in Aunt Wu's parlor is written in Cao Shu (grass script style), a freehand form which is notoriously difficult to read.
 * The sign against which Sokka kicks a rock has the character 福 (fú) on it, which ironically meaning "good fortune and happiness" (the opposite of his prediction).

Bato of the Water Tribe

 * The map to the rendezvous point is covered with characters indicating locations and notes, but most are not legible. On the top left corner are the characters 海月護佑(Hǎi yuè hùyòu), which roughly translates as "The Blessing and Protection of the Sea and Moon". The smaller characters in the center of the bay are 首長(Shǒuzhǎng) and 戰士(Zhànshì), meaning "senior official" and "warrior". In the bottom left corner, a mountain is marked with 東山(Dōngshān), meaning "east mountain".

The Deserter



 * Fire Festival Poster
 * 庆祝烈火節(Qìngzhù lièhuǒ jié)
 * 傳統烈火國美味食品(Chuántǒng lièhuǒ guó měiwèi shípǐn)
 * 烈火國文化展雜技魔術(Lièhuǒ guó wénhuà zhǎn zájì móshù)
 * 運火師木偶戲烟火(Yùn huǒ shī mù'ǒu xì yānhuǒ)
 * 使你如置身於烈火國(Shǐ nǐ rú zhìshēn yú lièhuǒ guó)
 * Celebrate the Fire Day Festival. Featuring traditional Fire Nation food, Fire Nation cultural exhibits, jugglers, magicians, Firebending masters, puppet shows, and plenty of fire to make you feel like you are back home in the Fire Nation!




 * Jeong Jeong's wanted poster
 * 緝拿 - 琤琤(Jīná - chēng chēng)
 * 前烈火國艦長(Qián lièhuǒ guó jiàn zhǎng)
 * 年六十．白髮．(Nián liù shí. Bái fà.)
 * 貌似柔順實長制火術(Màosì róushùn shí zhǎng zhì huǒ shù)
 * 捕者慎之(Bǔ zhě shènzhī)
 * Wanted — Jeong Jeong. Was a Fire Nation Admiral. He is 60 years old and white-haired. Appears weak; is actually a master in Firebending and should be approached with caution.




 * Chey's wanted poster
 * 緝拿 - 済．(Jīná - jì.)
 * 前烈火軍隊長懦夫逃兵叛賊．(Qián lièhuǒ jūnduì zhǎng nuòfū táobīng pàn zéi)
 * 年三十善火功爆破．(Nián sān shí shàn huǒ gōng bàopò)
 * 精神不稳．(Jīngshén bù wěn)
 * 捕者慎之(Bǔ zhě shènzhī)
 * Wanted — Chey. Was a captain in the Fire Nation army, is a coward, a deserter and a traitor. He is 30 years old and skilled with explosives. Mentally unstable. Hunters be cautious.




 * Blue Spirit wanted poster
 * 緝拿 - 蓝神．(Jīná - lán shén.)
 * 劫持降世神通(Jiéchí jiàng shì shéntōng)
 * 頭戴蓝色土國面具(Tóu dài lán sè tǔ guó miànjù)
 * 身份不明外傳為鬼之說不足信(Shēnfèn bùmíng wàizhuàn wéi guǐ zhī shuō bu zú xìn)
 * 如探得行踪須全力以赴(Rú tàn de xíngzōng xū quánlì yǐ fù)
 * Wanted, by order of the Fire Lord: The so-called Blue Spirit. He is a thief, guilty of stealing the Avatar from the Fire Nation. He wears a traditional Earth Kingdom opera mask. His true identity is unknown, but disregard the rumors that he is a ghost. If you locate the Blue Spirit and attempt to apprehend him, you are advised to enlist as many forces as you can gather for the task.


 * The Fire Lord's Seal found on all the wanted posters reads 烈火國王敖載印寶 (Lièhuǒ guówáng áo zài yìn bǎo), meaning "Fire Lord Ozai's Official Seal".

The Siege of the North, Part 2

 * The scroll which Zhao finds in the library reads, in ancient Chinese calligraphy, 月神海神 (Yuè shén hǎishén) and 北方水族(Běifāng shuǐzú), meaning "Moon Spirit and Ocean Spirit" and "Northern Water Tribe".

The Avatar State



 * Iroh and Zuko's wanted poster reads as follows:
 * 承烈火君命緝捕艾洛祖寇二叛賊．(Chéng lièhuǒ jūnmìng jībǔ ài luò zǔ kòu èr pàn zéi.)
 * 艾洛将軍曾為平西巨龍．(Ài luò jiāngjūn céng wéi píngxī jù lóng.)
 * 祖寇王子曾為火帝儲君.(Zǔ kòu wángzǐ céng wèi huǒ dì chújūn.)
 * 二賊違反國令．(Èr zéi wéifǎn guó lìng.)
 * 拒絕征剿水族蛮子及捉拿降世神通．(Jùjué zhēng jiǎo shuǐzú mánzi jí zhuōná jiàng shì shéntōng.)
 * 格殺勿論．(Géshāwùlùn.)
 * The Fire Lord orders the arrest of Iroh and Zuko, the two rebellious traitors. General Iroh was once the Dragon of the West. Prince Zuko was Crown Prince to the Fire Lord. Both traitors violated imperial orders to exterminate the Water Tribe barbarians as well as capture the Avatar. Permission is granted to kill them on sight.
 * Note: Zuko's name is written here as 祖寇 (zǔ kòu), which means something along the lines of "ancestor robber".


 * The writing on Zuko's knife reads 非戰不屈(Fēi zhàn bùqū), which means "Never give up without a fight".

The Cave of Two Lovers



 * The sign over the entrance to the cave reads, in ancient Chinese script, 情人洞(Qíngrén dòng), meaning "Cave of the Lovers".
 * The sign over the door in Song's clinic reads 醫 (yī), meaning "Doctor".
 * The first panel of the Lover's story reads, in ancient Chinese script, 男女相隔二地(Nánnǚ xiānggé èr de) and 會于此峰(Huì yú cǐ fēng), which means approximately "The man and woman (Oma and Shu) were separated by two areas; they will meet at this mountain".
 * The character that appears when Katara reads about the war between the Lover's villages reads 戰 (zhàn), meaning "War".
 * The final panel of the Lover's story reads, in ancient Chinese script, 奧瑪舒城 永志恋情(Ào mǎ shū chéng yǒngzhì liànqíng), which means approximately "Omashu City, to forever remember their love".
 * The Lover's names, Oma and Shu, are written as 奧瑪 (ào mǎ) and 舒 (shū) respectively; 奧瑪 means "mysterious carnelian", while 舒 means "relax".
 * The calligraphy on the relief of the two lovers seems to read 愛在黑暗Ｘ光明(Ài zài hēi'àn X guāngmíng), which means something along the lines of "Love is brightest in the dark".

Return to Omashu

 * The governor's ransom letter reads as follows:
 * 懦弱之拐人(Nuòruò zhī guǎi rén)
 * 我愿以你卑賤的布米王換取我兒子湯湯安全(Wǒ yuàn yǐ nǐ bēijiàn de bù mǐ wáng huànqǔ wǒ érzi tāng tāng ānquán)
 * 正午會於城巔石像下交換(Zhèngwǔ huì yú chéng diān shíxiàng xià jiāohuàn)
 * Cowardly kidnapper, I agree to exchange your lowly King Bumi for my son Tom Tom's safety. The exchange will take place precisely at noon tomorrow at the base of the city's summit rock statue.

The Swamp

 * The sign on the cart which passes Iroh and Zuko reads 快樂浪人歌劇團(Kuàilè làngrén gējù tuán), meaning "Happy Traveler's Opera Troupe".

Avatar Day

 * A lantern during the parade scene has the character 酒(Jiǔ) painted on it, meaning "wine" or "alcohol" and usually indicating a tavern.
 * The ancient Chinese scripts carved on the lower part of the statue reads 秦帝(Qín dì), meaning "Emperor Chin". He is named after Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China, from whose name the English name for China is derived.
 * The writing on the "Birth of Kyoshi" painting reads 降世神通虛子今日拓創虛子島 愿吾民文化永絕於世界暴政(Jiàng shì shéntōng xūzi jīnrì tà chuàng xūzi dǎo yuàn wú mín wénhuà yǒng jué yú shìjiè bàozhèng), which translates as "On this day, Avatar Kyoshi split and created Kyoshi Island, in the hope that our citizens' culture will forever be isolated from the tyranny of the world."

The Blind Bandit

 * The advertisement for Master Yu's Earthbending Academy reads as follows:
 * 余師傅運土術武館全國最佳(Yú shīfu yùn tǔ shù wǔ guǎn quánguó zuì jiā)
 * 包教會(Bāo jiàohuì)
 * 持此傳單第一課免費僅須購買髙級制服(Chí cǐ chuándān dì yī kè miǎnfèi jǐn xū gòumǎi gāo jí zhìfú)
 * Master Yu's Earthbending Academy is the best school in the entire country. Guaranteed everything taught will be learned. Special promotion - first lesson is free. You only need to purchase a high-quality uniform.


 * The sign over the entrance to Master Yu's school reads 余師傅著名運土術武館(Yú shīfu zhùmíng yùn tǔ shù wǔ guǎn), meaning "Master Yu's Famous Earthbending Academy".
 * Toph's ransom note reads as follows:
 * 欲見你女兒有生一Ｘ(Yù jiàn nǐ nǚ'ér yǒu shēng yī X)
 * 五百金條至競技場(Wǔ bǎi jīntiáo zhì jìngjì chǎng)
 * 大塊石辛富(Dà kuài shí xīn fù)
 * If you wish to see your daughter alive, (bring) five hundred gold bars to the arena. (Signed) The Boulder & Xin Fu.

The Library

 * The writing on Professor Zei's map reads 萬知堂神祕图書館(Wàn zhī táng shénmì túshū guǎn), meaning "Wan Shi Tong's Mysterious Library". Wan Shi Tong (萬知堂, wàn zhī táng) means "He Who Knows Ten Thousand Things".
 * The book Sokka pulls off the shelf while Aang is looking at the Lion Turtle painting reads 子白(Zi bái), meaning "child" or "master" and "white", respectively; however, these are likely just random characters chosen for looks.
 * The parchment documenting the Fire Nation's Darkest Day reads 培治龍年七月九日烈火國最黑暗的一天(Péi zhì lóng nián qī yuè jiǔ rì lièhuǒ guó zuì hēi'àn de yītiān), which means "The 9th day of the 7th month of the Cultivate Rule Dragon Year was the darkest day in Fire Nation history".
 * The Chinese characters around the calendar wheel form the era names used for dating events in the Avatar World.
 * 1. 氜武 - Superior military (yáng wǔ)
 * 2. 淳泰 - Honest and exalted (chún tài)
 * 3. 坧元 - Foundation and origin (zhī yuán)
 * 4. 烱裕 - Bright abundance (jiǒng yù)
 * 5. 氜隆 - Great prosperity (yáng lóng)
 * 6. 溢文 - Overflowing culture (yì wén)
 * 7. 培治 - Cultivate rule (péi zhì)
 * 8. 焜德 - Shining virtue (kūn dé)
 * 9. 氲貞 - Virtuous harmony (yūn zhēn)
 * 10. 渪明 - Immersed in brightness (rú míng)
 * 11. 堯平 - Peace of Emperor Yao (yáo píng)
 * 12. 煬崇 - Burning honor (yáng chóng)
 * 13. 氛安 - Peaceful atmosphere - (fēn ān)
 * 14. 漳順 - As smoothly as the Zhang River (zhāng shùn)
 * 15. 垣正 - City of righteousness (yuán zhèng)
 * 16. 焯光 - Burning light (zhuō guāng)
 * The first character in these two-character words has a radical (one of the 214 ideographic elements in Chinese writing used in combination with phonetics to form thousands of different characters) that represents one of the four elements, and rotates in the order of air - water - earth - fire.
 * 气 - the "air" radical, used in characters related to gas
 * 氵 - the "three drops of water" radical, used in characters related to liquid
 * 土 - the "earth" radical, used in characters related to dirt, earth, mineral, etc.
 * 火 - the "fire" radical, used in characters related to fire, heat, etc.
 * Note: These definitions are very loosely based on the characters, as many of the combination are difficult to understand. Some of the characters are no longer used in modern Chinese.
 * Note: These definitions are very loosely based on the characters, as many of the combination are difficult to understand. Some of the characters are no longer used in modern Chinese.
 * Note: These definitions are very loosely based on the characters, as many of the combination are difficult to understand. Some of the characters are no longer used in modern Chinese.


 * The date of the Day of Black Sun is set on the dial as "The 1st day of the 8th month of the Superior Military Monkey Year" (氜武猴年八月一日)(Yáng wǔ hóu nián bā yuè yī rì). This could translate to August 1 in the Gregorian Calendar. However, if the World of Avatar uses the Chinese lunar calendar, the date would fall sometime in mid to late August or September.

The Serpent's Pass



 * Toph's passport reads 土國頭等護照 北方拓芙(Tǔ guó tóuděng hùzhào běifāng tà fú), meaning "Earth Kingdom first class passport - Toph Bei Fong".
 * The ferry tickets read 滿月湾渡輪票(Tǔ guó mǎnyuè wān dùlún piào), meaning "Full Moon Bay Ferry Ticket".
 * The sign at the entrance of the Serpent's Pass reads 盤蛇關(Pán shé guān), meaning "Coiling Serpent Mountain Pass". The graffiti reads 絕望(Juéwàng), meaning "despair" (literally "sever hope"). It is an allusion to Dante Alighieri, who coincidentally shares the same name with one of the creators, Michael Dante.
 * Iroh's forged passport reads 土國護照 洪慕士(Tǔ guó hùzhào hóngmùshì), meaning "Earth Kingdom passport - Hong Mushi".
 * Zuko's forged passport reads 土國護照 洪禮(Tǔ guó hùzhào hóng lǐ), meaning "Earth Kingdom passport - Hong Li".
 * The stamp the official lady puts on Aang's forehead reads 不准(Bù zhǔn), meaning "denied".

The Drill

 * The banner in the Ba Sing Se customs office reads 歡迎光臨永固城(Huānyíng guānglín yǒng gù chéng), meaning "Welcome to Ba Sing Se".
 * The plaque on the slurry pipeline reads 泥漿管道(Níjiāng guǎndào), meaning "slurry pipeline".

City of Walls and Secrets

 * The invitations to the Earth King's party have 南大門(Nán dàmén) written on them, meaning "South Gate".
 * The name of the Tea shop is 包氏茶館 (Bāo shì cháguǎn), meaning "Pao Family Tea House".

Tales of Ba Sing Se

 * The characters before each story read, in order, 卡塔拉與托夫的故事(Kǎ tǎ lā yǔ tuō fu de gùshì) (Katara and Toph's tale), 安昂的故事(Ān áng de gùshì)(Aang's tale), 索卡的故事(Suǒ kǎ de gùshì) (Sokka's tale), 艾洛的故事(Ài luò de gùshì) (Iroh's tale), 蘇科的故事(Sū kē de gùshì) (Zuko's tale), and 模模的故事(Mó mó de gùshì) (Momo's tale). In the title card for "The Tale of Toph and Katara", the Chinese translation puts Katara's name before Toph's. Toph's name is also written differently in the titlecard than on her passport from "The Serpent's Pass" and the letter from her mother in "The Earth King". Zuko's name is also different; In "The Desert", Zuko's name was listed on a Fire Nation wanted poster in Chinese as "祖寇" (zǔ kòu), while here his name is written as "蘇科" (sū kē). The character 蘇 (sū) is also used in Fire Lord Sozin's name.
 * The sign on the spa which Katara and Toph visit reads"貴婦美容院"(Guì fù měiróng yuàn), which translates as "Noble Lady's Beauty Parlor".
 * The Chinese characters on Lu Ten's picture (艾洛将軍 得勝再見 忠心的兒子路騰)(Ài luò jiāngjūn déshèng zàijiàn zhōngxīn de érzi lù téng), when read in the traditional right and vertical way, roughly translate as "General Iroh, I will see you again when victory is obtained. Your loyal son, Lu Ten". '路騰' (lù téng) means "road to gallop over".
 * The sign in front of the zoo Aang visits reads '快樂動物園'(Kuàilè dòngwùyuán), which translates as "Joyous Zoo" or "Happy Zoo".
 * The sign outside of the hall in "The Tale of Sokka" reads '五七五會社'(Wǔ qī wǔ huìshè), which translates as "Five-Seven-Five Society".

Lake Laogai

 * Appa's wanted poster reads as follows:
 * 尋飛天野牛(Xún fēitiān yěniú)
 * 名阿柏有六足重十噸(Míng ā bǎi yǒu liù zú zhòng shí dūn)
 * 如有消息請聯絡(Rú yǒu xiāoxi qǐng liánluò)
 * 降世神通安昂(Jiàng shì shéntōng ān áng)
 * 上環九十六區第二百一十七棟(Shàng huán jiǔ shí liù qū dì èr bǎi yī shí qī dòng)
 * "Searching for a flying sky bison. His name is Appa, he has six legs and weighs ten tons. If you have any information, please contact Avatar Aang in the Upper Ring, 96th District, house #217."
 * Note:
 * Aang's house number, 217, is also the production code for the episode.
 * 上環(Shàng huán) (Upper Ring) is also the name of a region in Hong Kong.

The Guru

 * The characters on the sign inside the teashop (寧三天不食莫一日無茶)(Níng sān tiān bù shí mò yī rì wú chá) read a traditional Chinese proverb: "It is better to go for three days without food than one day without tea".

The Avatar and the Fire Lord

 * The characters on the scroll Zuko receives read 你須知道曾祖死後，它會顯示你的命運(Nǐ xū zhīdào zēngzǔ sǐ hòu, tā huì xiǎnshì nǐ de mìngyùn), and mean approximately "You need to know what's happened after your great-grandfather's demise, it will reveal your own destiny"; the hidden message, 烈火國諸賢秘史，藏於龍骨墓窟中 (Lièhuǒ guó zhū xián mìshǐ, cáng yú lónggǔ mù kū zhōng) means approximately "The secret history of the sages of Fire Nation is hidden in the Dragon Bone Catacomb".
 * The characters on the first box containing Sozin's history read 烈火君蘇進遺書完稿, which means "The Last Testament of Fire Lord Sozin". The second box reads 烈火君蘇進遺書稿之(Lièhuǒ jūn sū jìn yíshū wángǎo), which means approximately the same thing. Sozin's name is here written as 蘇進 (sū jìn) which means "resurrection enters".
 * The last characters on his scroll, though mostly obscured, can be deduced from Sozin's narration, reads 烈火國最大的威脅——最後的截氣神功師(Lièhuǒ guó zuìdà de wēixié - zuìhòu de jié qì shéngōng shī), which means "The Fire Nation's greatest threat, the last Airbender". The term "Airbender" can be seen on Aang's season 1 wanted poster.

The Runaway



 * Toph's wanted poster reads as follows:
 * 緝拿逃犯(Jīná táofàn)
 * 當局懸賞一千金幣緝捕十二歲女童(Dāngjú xuánshǎng yī qiān jīnbì jībǔ shí èr suì nǚtóng)
 * 她喬裝盲人個子雖小(Tā qiáozhuāng mángrén gèzi suī xiǎo)
 * 極之危險(Jí zhī wéixiǎn)
 * 報訊即賞(Bào xùn jí shǎng)
 * Wanted — The Runaway. Authorities are offering a reward of thousand gold coins for the arrest of this twelve year old girl. She disguises herself as a blind person, and although she is small, she is extremely dangerous. Any information will be promptly rewarded.


 * The messenger hawk advert reads as follows:
 * 傳訊鳥訓練班(Chuánxùn niǎo xùnliàn bān)
 * 日出時於郵政局集合(Rì chū shí yú yóuzhèngjú jíhé)
 * 每課三銅板(Měi kè sān tóngbǎn)
 * Messenger bird training class. Meets at sunrise at the post office. Each lesson is three copper pieces.


 * The poster before Toph's wanted poster reads 火 - 緝拿(Huǒ - jīná), meaning "Fire - Arrests". It probably signals the start of the wanted posters section.
 * The poster on the far right of the billboard reads 今晚街坊會議主題 : 空氣質量 街頭聚賭(Jīn wǎn jiēfang huìyì zhǔtí: Kōngqì zhí liàng jiētóu jù dǔ), meaning "Topics for this evening's street conference: air quality and street gambling".
 * The poster with two dragons entwined in a heart reads 餘烬島劇院(Yújìn dǎo jùyuàn), meaning "Ember Island Theater". It is a reference to the Ember Island Players, and is most likely a poster for "Love Amongst the Dragons" (which Zuko says he used to see every year with his mother).

The Day of Black Sun, Part 1: The Invasion

 * Sokka's maps read as follows:
 * 第壹國皇家地圖(Dì yī guó huángjiā dìtú) - The Greatest Nation Royal-Issue Atlas (where "The Greatest Nation" is the name Fire Nation used to call itself)
 * 世界地圖 (Shìjiè dìtú)- Map of the World
 * 全國領土領海圖 (Quánguó lǐngtǔ lǐnghǎi tú)- Chart of the Entire Nation's Land and Sea Territories
 * 首都島地圖(Shǒudū dǎo dìtú) - Map of the Capital Island
 * 皇家首都地圖(Huángjiā shǒudū dìtú) - Map of the Royal Capital City

The Ember Island Players

 * The top of the play's poster reads its title in Chinese: 冰山上的男孩(Bīngshān shàng de nánhái), meaning "The Boy in the Iceberg".
 * The poster for "The Boy in the Iceberg" reads as follows:
 * 冰山上的男孩(Bīngshān shàng de nánhái)
 * 土國著名劇作家浦安添新作搜集全球有関降世神通資料由南極冰山至土國首都．(Tǔ guó zhùmíng jù zuòjiā pǔ'ān tiān xīnzuò sōují quánqiú yǒu guān jiàng shì shéntōng zīliào yóu nánjí bīngshān zhì tǔ guó shǒudū.)
 * 資料来自牧民歌手海盜戰犯和菜販．(Zīliào láizì mùmín gēshǒu hǎidào zhànfàn huo cài fàn.)
 * 由餘烬島演員主演(Yóu yújìn dǎo yǎnyuán zhǔyǎn)
 * The Boy in the Iceberg: The famous Earth Kingdom playwright Pu-On Tim's new work has collected information about the Avatar from around the globe, from the icebergs of the South Pole to the Earth Kingdom capital. Information came from nomad singers, pirates, prisoners of war and a knowledgeable merchant of cabbage. Starring the Ember Island Players.


 * The sign over the stage reads 餘烬島劇院(Yújìn dǎo jùyuàn), meaning "Ember Island Theater".

Other translations

 * The Chinese calligraphy featured on the cover of the Season Three boxed set (as well as on a T-shirt given away at Comic-con) can be seen below; however, as much of it is either blocked by Aang or hidden by the poor contrast
 * 彗煞凶滔破長空(Huì shā xiōng tāo pò chángkōng)
 * 奧載暴Ｘ欲焚窮 (Àozài bào X yù fén qióng) (Missing character suggestion: 君 (Jūn) (king) or 怒(Nù) (angry), used with 暴(Bào) to form "tyrant" or "burning rage")
 * 安昂英Ｘ泰ＸＸ(Ānáng yīng X tài XX)
 * 干戈自此鳴不終(Gāngē zì cǐ míng bù zhōng)
 * Translated as:
 * The comet's evil floods the vast sky,
 * The tyrant, Ozai, longs to burn all things.
 * Heroic Aang... peace...
 * The sound of arms does not cease.


 * The poster Sokka holds up in part 1 of the "Private Fire" comic reads as follows:
 * 加人優勝者隊伍(Jiā rén yōushèng zhě duìwu)
 * 到附近招募站報名．(Dào fùjìn zhāomù zhàn bàomíng.)
 * Join the winning team! Sign up at your local recruitment center today!


 * For some reason, the sign above the entrance to the Ember Island Arcade reads 近义词 (jìnyìcí), meaning "homoinym (near-synonym)". It is strangely also written entirely in Simplified Chinese.

The Promise, Part 1

 * The signs the mob outside Yu Dao are holding read 滾回去 (gǔnhuíqù), meaning "Get out!" or "Go back!"; 還我和平 (huán wǒ hépíng), meaning "Give us peace!"; and 還我平安 (huán wǒ píng'ān), meaning "Give us security!"
 * During the scene where Zuko tours Aang through Yu Dao, several signs can be seen. The farthest back one his too blurry to read, but seems to contain the character 炎 (yán) meaning burning. The red sign reads 玉島雜貨店 (yùdǎo záhuòdiàn), meaning "Yu Dao Grocery Store", and the closest two yellow signs read 美味火鍋食堂 (měiwèi huǒguō shítáng), meaning "Delicious Hotpot Restaurant".
 * The sign in front of the blacksmith's shop reads 老陳鐵匠鋪 (lǎo chén tiějiàngpù), meaning "Lao Chen's Blacksmith Shop" ("Lao" being a term of respect for an elder, not his first name, Chen being a common Chinese surname).
 * In the scene where the Mayor Morishita's family appears for the second time, two signs can be seen: one reading 芬芳茶館 (fēnfāng cháguǎn), meaning "Fragrant Teahouse" and one reading 綠棧 (lǜzhàn), meaning "Green Inn"

Legend of Korra trailer and Comic Con panel

 * The character on Amon's chest at the SDCC Korra Panel is 平 (píng), meaning "peace" or "even".
 * In the trailer scene where Korra kicks down a person who is Firebending at her, a sign in the background seems to read 留声機 (liú​shēng​jī​), meaning phonograph.
 * In the Comic Con presentation still where Korra is seen battling several Equalists, several signs and advertisements can be seen, though not all are legible: 來(lái), meaning "come" or "return", 風 (fēng), meaning "wind", and 火人街(huǒrénjiē), meaning "Fire People Street".

Literature


There are many books and scrolls in the Avatar World. Many of these are located, or have a copy at Wan Shi Tong's Library.

List of known works

 * Waterbending scroll - a scroll stolen from the Northern Water Tribe by pirates, later recovered by Katara and was donated to Wan Shi Tong and his collection of knowledge
 * Book of Clouds - a book belonging to a fortuneteller named Aunt Wu, its information holds the meaning of various cloud shapes and is used to tell villagers of Makapu Village their fortunes.
 * Star chart - a map of the stars in the sky. It is used to guide people across unknown lands by showing them how to follow the path of stars.
 * The Last Will and Testament of Fire Lord Sozin - Sozin's Final Testament: an inscription on the final testament of Fire Lord Sozin that was read by Prince Zuko in the Dragon Bone Catacombs.

Trivia

 * The written Chinese content in Avatar: The Last Airbender was provided by cultural consultant Dr. Siu-Leung Lee. He handled all of the translation and calligraphy for Avatar: The Last Airbender, including the calligraphy for the logo. His vast knowledge of various styles of calligraphy throughout China's history added a culturally grounding component to the show.
 * Most of the Chinese used was classical Chinese. However, due to S. L. Lee's deep knowledge, archaic Chinese was also included for ancient texts (about spirits or elements).