How to talk like a villain in Chinese #2 - Threats

Uguu...

In part 2 (part 1 can be found here) of this series, we will look at threats (恐嚇 kǒnghè). As with the D&D post, I recommend some good background music to set the mood.

The threat consists of two parts, conditions and consequences.

Conditions (條件)
The condition is what the bad guy (壞人huàirén) asks for in return for sparing your life. Chances are this involves some form of kneeling, or giving him a VIO (Very Important Object).

把錢給我 Give me the money

趕快給我…

• 跪下 Kneel before me (at once)
• 投降 Surrender to me (at once)

把…交給我 Hand … to me

• 卷軸 juànzhóu - the scroll
• 戒指 jièzhǐ - the ring
• 匕首 bǐshǒu - the dagger

This is usually followed by:

否則 fǒuzé - otherwise...

Consequences (後果)
The consequence is what will (ostensibly) follow if the condition is not met. It most likely involves some form of corporal punishment that will result in the death of the person who is threatened. A weapon might be used to emphasize the threat:

你會死在我的…之下you will fall beneath my…

• 劍 jiàn - sword
• 斧 fǔ - axe
• 戟 jǐ - halberd

He might be more to the point...

• 后果會十分严重 The consequences will be dire
• 你們會付出代價 You will suffer

Or put it more bluntly;

• 我會讓你小命都不保 I will slay you
• 我（很樂意）把你的頭劈兩半 I’ll (gladly) split your head in half
• 我（很樂意）用我的魔法将你碎石万段 I’ll (gladly) use my magic powers to crush you into a million pieces

Making the threat:

Using the names we learned in Part 1 and the items above, constructing a threat is easy as pie; just combine some names, a condition and a consequence, and you’re set:

你們這群傻瓜到了無路可逃的地步！趕快把匕首交給我，否則我很樂意用我的斧頭把你們的頭劈兩半！You fools have nowhere to run! Give me the dagger at once, or I’ll gladly split your heads in half with my axe!

混蛋！趕快把錢給我，否則我保證後果會十分嚴重… Scoundrels! Give me the money immediately, or the consequences will be dire, I promise you.

可惡的蛆蟲，給我跪下，否則你們會死在我劍之下。我會很樂意地結束你們可憐的生命！Damn maggots, kneel before me or you will fall beneath my blade... I will gladly end your pitiful lives!

And that's it! Happy easter everyone!