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Chapter 27: The Lightning-Struck Tower

Simplified Chinese (Mandarin: China)
被闪电击中的塔楼
Bèi shǎndiàn jīzhòng de tǎlóu
bèi = passive particle
闪电 shǎndiàn = 'lightning'.
击中 jīzhòng = 'strike, hit (a target)'.
de = connecting particle
塔楼 tǎlóu = 'tower building, turret'.
The tower that was struck by lightning
Traditional Chinese (Mandarin: Taiwan)
閃電擊中的高塔
Shǎndiàn jízhòng de gāotǎ
閃電 shǎndiàn = 'lightning'.
擊中 jízhòng = 'strike, hit (a target)'.
de = connecting particle
高塔 gāotǎ = 'tall tower'.
Tall tower that was struck by lightning
Japanese
稲妻に撃たれた塔
Inazuma ni utareta tō
稲妻 inazuma = 'lightning'.
ni = particle (here meaning 'by')
撃たれた utareta = 'was hit by' (past tense of 撃たれる utareru 'to be hit', passive of 撃つ utsu 'to hit').
= 'tower'.
The tower that was struck by lightning
Vietnamese (Chinese characters show etymology)
Tháp sét đánh tháp () = 'tower'.
sét = 'lightning'.
đánh = 'to strike'.
The lightning-struck tower.

Fairly literal translations of a very succinct English expression.

How is 'lightning' translated?

Lightning is an 'electrical discharge caused by imbalances between storm clouds and the ground, or within the clouds themselves.' The term is used only for the visual flash of light caused by the discharge. The sound produced is known as 'thunder'.

How is 'lightning-struck' translated?

'Struck' is the past participle of 'strike' used as an adjective. It is combined with 'lightning' in a compound word. The meaning is 'which has been struck by lightning'. Since the languages covered here don't have expressions which are structurally equivalent to the English 'noun+past participle', all use full clauses to translate this.

How is 'tower' translated?

The 'tower' here is the Astronomy Tower in Hogwarts. While there are differences among them, all four translations use the same etymologically-related term for 'tower': (Mandarin Chinese , Japanese , Vietnamese tháp).

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

Chapter 26
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