ANZAC Day 澳紐軍團日 and The Ode of Remembrance 追念詩 in Cantonese

Note: I wrote this blogpost to help adults with Cantonese vocabulary around ANZAC. If you are planning to discuss the topic of war with children, please be very careful in how you introduce it, taking into account their age, development and sensitivity. 

A Brief Introduction

April 25 is ANZAC Day in Australia and New Zealand. ANZAC Day was originally a commemoration of the landing of the ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) at Gallipoli, Turkey in 1915, and those who served in WWI. The Gallipoli campaign was the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand soldiers during WWI. In present times, ANZAC Day has evolved to remember all Australians and New Zealanders who were killed , who served, and who are in operation, in “all wars, conflicts and peace keeping operation”.

If you like to read more about it, I share some links at the bottom of this blog post. The aim of this blogpost is to help Cantonese speakers learn more about ANZAC Day in Cantonese.

 

追念詩（The Ode of Remembrance）

The Ode of Remembrance is often read at ANZAC Commemorative services and ceremonies. The Ode of Remembrance is the forth stanza of the poem For the Fallen, by English poet Laurence Binyon, and first published in 1914. Since then, The Ode of Remembrance has often been recited to commemorate wartime service and sacrifice.

The Ode of Remembrance

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

追念詩

他們將不再變老，不像我們留下來的日漸衰老。
他們永遠不為耄耋所難，永遠不為殘年所累。
每當黃昏日落、每當黎明破曉，
我們都會紀念他們。

zeoi1 nim6 si1
taa1 mun4 zoeng1 bat1 zoi3 bin3 lou5 ，bat1 zoeng6 ngo5 mun4 lau4 haa6 loi4 dik1 jat6 zim6 seoi1 lou5
taa1 mun4 wing5 jyun5 bat1 wai4 mou6 dit6 so2 naan4 ，wing5 jyun5 bat1 wai4 caan4 nin4 so2 leoi6
mui5 dong1 wong4 fan1 jat6 lok6 、mui5 dong1 lai4 ming4 po3 hiu2
ngo5 mun4 dou1 wui2 gei2 nim6 taa1 mun4

 

You can download a free printable of the ANZAC Day Ode of Remembrance Cantonese. It includes a version with Jyutping and one without. 

 

ANZAC Day Cantonese Vocabulary

ANZAC Day is usually translated to 澳紐軍團日 in Cantonese, as New Zealand is 紐西蘭. However, as New Zealand is also known as 新西蘭  in Mandarin, ANZAC Day is also referred to as  澳新軍團日.

Below are some of the commonly used terms when talking about ANZAC Day in Cantonese, or reading about it in Traditional Chinese.

English Cantonese Jyutping
ANZAC Day 澳紐軍團日 ou3 nau2 gwan1 tyun4 jat6
ANZAC 澳紐軍團 ou3 nau2 gwan1 tyun4
Australia 澳洲 ou3 zau1
New Zealand 紐西蘭 nau2 sai1 laan4
ANZAC spirit 澳紐軍團精神 ou3 nau2 gwan1 tyun4 zing1 san4
Lest we forget 以免我們忘記
免得我們忘記		 ji5 min5 ngo5 mun4 mong4 gei3
min5 dak1 ngo5 mun4 mong4 gei3
poppy 紅罌粟花 hung4 aang1 suk1 faa1
rosemary 迷迭香 mai4 dit6 hoeng1
veterans 退伍軍人 teoi3 ng5 gwan1 jan4
returning veterans 返國退伍軍人 faan2 gwok3 teoi3 ng5 gwan1 jan4
war memorials 戰爭紀念館 zin3 zang1 gei2 nim6 gun2
commemorative ceremonies 紀念儀式 gei2 nim6 ji4 sik1
hold commemorative ceremonies 舉行紀念儀式 geoi2 hang4 gei2 nim6 ji4 sik1
ANZAC parade/ march 澳紐軍團日遊行活動 ou3 nau2 gwan1 tyun4 jat6 jau4 hang4 wut6 dung6
descendants of veterans 退伍軍人後代 teoi3 ng5 gwan1 jan4 hau6 doi6
military bands 軍樂隊 gwan1 lok6 deoi6
The Last Stand 最後站崗 zeoi3 hau6 zaam6 gong1
Australian War Memorial 澳洲戰爭紀念館 ou3 zau1 zin3 zang1 gei2 nim6 gun2
national ceremony 國家儀式 gwok3 gaa1 ji4 sik1
 laying of wreaths 獻花圈 hin3 faa1 hyun1
laying of wreathes and floral tributes 獻花圈和鮮花 hin3 faa1 hyun1 wo4 sin1 faa1
observance of one minute’s silence 一分鐘默哀 jat1 fan1 zung1 mak6 oi1
Roll of Honour 光榮榜 gwong1 wing4 bong2
Dawn Service 黎明升旗儀式 lai4 ming4 sing1 kei4 ji4 sik1
memorials 紀念館 gei2 nim6 gun2
Martin Place 馬丁廣場 maa5 ding1 gwong2 coeng4
Shrine of Remembrance 戰爭紀念館 zin3 zang1 gei2 nim6 gun2
ANZAC Day Biscuits 澳紐軍人紀念日餅乾 ou3 nau2 gwan1 jan4 gei2 nim6 jat6 beng2 gon1
ANZAC Day match 澳紐軍人紀念日比賽 ou3 nau2 gwan1 jan4 gei2 nim6 jat6 bei2 coi3
Australian Rules Football 澳式足球聯賽 ou3 sik1 zuk1 kau4 lyun4 coi3
Melbourne Cricket Ground 墨爾本板球場 mak6 ji5 bun2 baan2 kau4 coeng4
National Rugby League 觀看國家橄欖球聯賽 gun1 hon3 gwok3 gaa1 gaam3 laam5 kau4 lyun4 coi3
RSL 退伍軍人協會 teoi3 ng5 gwan1 jan4 hip3 wui2
Light up Dawn 「點亮黎明」活動 「 dim2 loeng6 lai4 ming4 」 wut6 dung6
World War I 第一次世界大戰 dai6 jat1 ci3 sai3 gaai3 daai6 zin3
Gallipoli campaign 加里波利之戰 gaa1 leoi5 bo1 lei6 zi1 zin3
sacrifice 犧牲 hei1 sang1
casualty rate 傷亡率 soeng1 mong4 leot6
death rate 死亡率 sei2 mong4 leot6

 

ANZAC Day articles in Chinese

Chinese ANZACs

Did you know that there were Chinese ANZACs? Their stories have largely been untold and forgotten, but recent years have seen a push for their contributions to be acknowledged.  Many of these ANZACs struggled to be enlisted, as they were deemed ‘not substantially of European origin’, and hence against the recruitment policy.

I would encourage you to read more about them, and learn about the contributions of Chinese-Australians. Be inspired by how against a backdrop of racism, they served and sacrificed.

To learn more about Chinese ANZACs, or check out some of these articles

Chinese ANZACS free PDF publication booklet

Australia educational resource Year 9

If you wish to learn more about ANZAC Day (English articles, external links)

LEST WE FORGET 以免我們忘記

 

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2 thoughts on “ANZAC Day 澳紐軍團日 and The Ode of Remembrance 追念詩 in Cantonese”

  1. Anton says:

    In the Ode of Remembrance, shouldn’t 將 be read zeong1 in this context? It’s functioning as an adverb, and not the noun for ‘general’.

    Reply
    • Cantonese For Families says:

      Hi Anton, thanks for pointing this out. I have now corrected it on the article. Thankfully, it was already zeong1 on the printable. Thank you.

      Reply

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