Critters & Pets (Ch)

The difference between the Mainland and Taiwanese versions seems to be this: Where it is possible to create a Chinese word that conveys the meaning of the English name, the Taiwanese translator does it. The Mainland translators generally stick to a phonetic transliteration. The Taiwanese translator also tends to prefer shorter names. In several places, the Taiwanese translator is influenced by the southern or Taiwanese pronunciation of Chinese in transliterating names into Chinese.

MAGICAL CRITTERS
English	Mainland	Taiwan	Notes
Norbert	诺伯 Nuòbó	蘿蔔 Luóbo	Norbert, the Norwegian ridgeback: The Mainland name is purely phonetic. 蘿蔔 Luóbo in the Taiwanese version means 'radish' and has a rather humorous flavour. In Taiwan and some regions of Mainland China, the 'n' and 'l' sounds are not properly distinguished, which may be why Luóbo was chosen as an acceptable approximation to 'Norbert'.
Fluffy	路威 Lùwēi	毛毛 Máomáo	Fluffy, the three-headed dog: 路威 Lùwēi in the Mainland version means 'road' + 'authority/threat'. I haven't yet figured out the reason for this name - perhaps his role as a watchdog? 毛毛 Máomáo is a direct translation of the English and means 'hairy' or 'downy'.
Buckbeak	巴克比克 Bākèbǐkè	巴嘴 Bā-zuǐ	Buckbeak the Hippogriff: The Mainland version transliterates the sound, producing a nice beat with the repeated character 克 kè. In the Taiwanese version, 'buck' is transliterated as a sound (巴 bā), 'beak' is translated as 嘴 zuǐ ('mouth' or 'beak').
Fawkes	福克斯 Fúkèsī	佛客使 Fókèshǐ	Fawkes the Phoenix: The Mainland version uses the standard transliteration for the name 'Fawkes'. The Taiwanese version makes up its own transliteration using characters that literally mean 佛 'Buddha' + 客'guest/practitioner' + 使 'envoy'. The last character, 使 shǐ, is pronounced sǐ in Taiwan or South China, bringing it somewhat closer to the English pronunciation than it actually looks. In England, 'Fawkes' is likely to call to mind Guy Fawkes, who tried to blow up Parliament in 1602, celebrated in Bonfire Night (hence the name, since Fawkes the phoenix makes a habit of being immolated in fires). Guy Fawkes' name in Chinese is generally rendered 蓋‧福克斯 Gài Fúkèsī or 盖‧福克斯 Gài Fúkèsī. However, only the most erudite Chinese is likely to draw a connection between the two.
Aragog	阿拉戈克 Ālāgēkè	阿辣哥 Ā-là-gē	Aragog the Acromantula (giant spider): The Mainland version is purely phonetic. In the Taiwanese version, Aragog's name is not only shorter, but has the meaning 'Mr-spicy-big brother', making it easier to remember. (阿 Ā doesn't actually mean 'Mr'; it's a prefix added onto names in south China to give a certain sense of familiarity.)
Nagini	纳吉尼 Nàjíní	娜吉妮 Nàjínī	Nagini, Voldemort's pet snake: Phonetic rendering (Chinese is unable to render hard 'g', so Nagini becomes 'Najini'.)

PETS
English	Mainland	Taiwan	Notes
Mrs Norris	洛丽丝夫人 Luòlìsī fūrén	拿樂絲太太 Nálèsī tàitài	'Mrs Norris', Filch's cat: A strange case where the Mainland version is neither phonetically correct nor particularly full of meaning. 洛 Luò is a Chinese surname, 丽 lì means 'pretty', and 丝 sī means 'silk thread'. The Taiwanese version 拿樂絲 literally means 'get' + 'pleasure' + 'thread'. 夫人 fūrén and 太太 tàitài mean 'Mrs'.
Hedwig	海德薇 Hǎidéwēi	嘿美 Hēiměi	Harry's owl Hedwig: In the Mainland version the name is phonetic. The characters 海德薇 mean 'sea' + 'virtue' + 'a kind of vegetable'. Northern Chinese speakers generally perceive the English sound in 'head' as hai, which can create a distinctive accent when speaking English. Looking at the Taiwanese version, 嘿 hēi! is an exclamation of surprise or gloating. Since Hedwig is a white owl, it would not have done to use the character for 'black' 黑, also pronounced hēi, which was the obvious choice. 美 měi means 'beautiful'.
Pigwidgeon (Pig)	朱薇琼 (小猪) Zhū-wēi-qióng (Xiǎo-zhū)	豬水鳧 (小豬) Zhū-shuǐfú (Xiǎo-zhū)	Ginny named Ron's tiny owl 'Pigwidgeon', which Ron shortened to 'Pig'. In the Mainland version, the full name given by Ginny is 朱薇琼 Zhū Ｗēiqióng, which could pass as a normal Chinese name. 朱 Zhū is a surname which happens to have the same pronunciation as 'pig' or 猪 zhū in Chinese. 薇 wēi means 'rose', 琼 qióng means 'fine jade', which together are meant to reproduce a sound close to 'widgeon'. In common with Chinese custom of calling a younger person 小 xiǎo ('little') + surname, Ron calls his owl 小朱 Xiǎo Zhū. In Chinese, this is the same as 'little piggy' 小猪 xiǎo-zhū. This rendition captures rather well the way that Ron distorts Ginny's carefully thought-out name. The Taiwanese version translates Pigwidgeon's name literally: 豬 zhū = 'pig', 水鳧 shuǐfú = 'widgeon', a kind of duck. As in the Mainland version, Ron shortens this to 小豬 xiǎo-zhū ('little pig'), but Ginny doesn't have much to protest about here because the name she chose already contained the word 豬 zhū ('pig') .
Errol	埃罗尔 Aīluó'ěr	愛落 Aìluò	Errol the owl: There's nothing wrong with the Mainland phonetic transliteration, but the Taiwanese name is just more memorable! 愛落 Aìluò means 'love to fall', which is particularly suitable for Errol.
Hermes	赫梅斯 Hèméisī	赫密士 Hèmìshì	Purely phonetic. The Mainland name 赫梅斯 Hèméisī is used to transliterate the names of football players with names like 'Hermes' or 'Jemez'. Note that the Taiwanese version 赫密士 Hèmìshì would be pronounced Hèmìsì by most Chinese speakers in Taiwan. Neither transliteration is the same as the name of the Greek god Hermes, which is 海耳墨斯 Hǎi'ěrmósī, 海尔梅斯 Hǎi'ěrméisī, or 漢密士 Hànmìshì (Taiwan). For Greek god's names in Traditional Chinese (Taiwan), see this site. Incidentally, the French brand Hermès is transliterated into Chinese as 爱马什 Aìmǎshì.
Crookshanks	克鲁克山 Kèlǔkèshān	歪腿 Wāi-tuǐ	Hermione's pet cat Crookshanks is transliterated as 克鲁克山 Kèlǔkèshān in the Mainland edition. As in Buckbeak's name, the repeated 克 kè creates a rhythm. The Taiwanese edition translates 'Crookshanks' quite literally as 'Crooked Legs'.
Scabbers	斑斑 Bānbān	斑斑 Bānbān	Ron's rat Scabbers: 斑斑 Bān-bān in both the Mainland and Taiwanese versions means 'spotty' or 'stripy'.
Trevor	莱福 Láifú	吹寶 Chuībǎo	Neville's toad Trevor: The Taiwanese sounds somewhat like 'Trevor' in pronunciation and means 'Blow Treasure' or 'Blowing Treasure'. 寶 bǎo ('treasure') is often used in the expression 寶貝兒 / 宝贝儿 bǎobèir ('baby' or 'precious baby') in Chinese. The Mainland version appears to have seized on the slight phonetic similarity between 'Trevor' and 莱福 Lái-fú, which is a common name for a pet in China. It means 'come good fortune'. (Thanks to Kinra for pointing me in the right direction on this one).
Fang	牙牙 Yáyá	牙牙 Yáyá	牙 Yá means 'tooth' or 'fang'.