Phonetic transliteration:
伊 (yī) approximates 'I-,'
尔 (ěr) approximates '-l-,'
多 (duō) approximates '-do.' The character
尔 routinely encodes a foreign 'l' or 'r' sound, as in
巴尔扎克 (Balzac),
乔尔 (Joel),
西尔维亚 (Sylvia). Often shows up in Chinese subtitles of fantasy or foreign-language films and novels - the exact source character can vary widely.
