Mandarin transliteration of character’s name regarded as auspicious, prompting wave of memes and fan art
Draco Malfoy, one of Harry Potter’s most recognisable villains, has become an unlikely lunar new year icon across China, as fans embrace the character for the year of the horse.
In Mandarin, Malfoy’s name is transliterated as “mǎ ěr fú”. The first character means “horse” while the final character, “fú”, means “fortune” or “blessing” – a powerful symbol found across lunar new year celebrations.
Put together, Malfoy’s name can be loosely read as “horse fortune”, making him an unexpectedly auspicious figure for the year ahead.
The wordplay has sparked a wave of memes, fan art, decorations and themed merchandise across Chinese social media. Images of a young Malfoy – played by the English actor Tom Felton – smiling from red lunar new year posters and riding cartoon horses have appeared on refrigerators, in office spaces as well as shopping malls alike.
