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Chapter 10: The Rogue Bludger

Simplified Chinese (Mandarin: China)
失控的游走球
Shīkòng de yóuzǒu-qiú
失控 shīkòng = 'lose-control'.
de = connecting particle
游走 yóuzǒu = 'rove'.
-qiú = 'ball'. Together, 'roving ball'.
The Out-of-Control Roving-Ball
Traditional Chinese (Mandarin: Taiwan)
瘋搏格
Fēng bógé
fēng = 'crazy'.
搏格 bógé = 'boge' (bo = 'wrestle, fight') = 'bludger'.
The Crazy Boge
Japanese
狂ったブラッジャー
Kurutta burajjā
狂う kuruu = 'go crazy' ( -ta Past tense).
ブラッジャー burajjā = 'bludger'.
The Crazy Bludger
Korean
악당 블러저
Аgdang beulleojeo
악당 (惡黨) аgdang = 'bad guy, rogue, villain'.
블러저 beulleojeo = 'bludger'.
The Bad-guy Bludger
Vietnamese (Chinese characters show etymology)
Trái Bludger tai quái trái = counter used for fruit, shells, projectiles.
Bludger (pronunciation footnote: Blất-giơ).
tai quái = 'artful, crafty, sly'.
The Sly Bludger
Mongolian (previous)
Тэнэмэл бладжер
Tenmel bladjer
тэнэмэл tenmel = 'roaming, vagabond'.
бладжер bladjer = 'Bludger'.
The Roaming Bludger
Mongolian (new)
Дүрсгүй бладжер
Dürsgüi bladjer
дүрсгүй dürsgüi = 'naughty, rude, impish, ill-mannered'.
бладжер bladjer = 'Bludger'.
The Naughty Bludger

The rogue Bludger in the title refers to an out-of-character Bludger that seemed determined to knock Harry off his broom during a Quidditch match.

How is 'rogue' translated?

'Rogue' here means 'run-away' or 'out-of-control'. For example, a rogue elephant is a vicious elephant that separates from the herd and roams alone. Such an elephant is dangerously and unpredictably violent.

In a human context, a 'rogue' is a dishonest or unprincipled person, which is a less appropriate interpretation here.

Less appropriate translations of the word 'rogue' (some ludicrously so) include the following. Some of these understand 'rogue' as meaning 'villain' or 'scoundrel'; others are misled by the word 'roguish'. A couple are something of a mystery.

How is 'Bludger' translated?

The Bludger is a kind of ball used in Quidditch. It is used to attack members of the opposing team.

Most translations render the name phonetically:

The two Chinese-language translations, especially the Mainland version, are more semantic in nature.

(Korean appears thanks to "Hiro".)

(Detailed notes on the chapter can be found at Harry Potter Lexicon)

Chapter 9
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