English to Chinese Translation

Translating traditional vs simplified Chinese

There are two versions of written Chinese Language and they are used in different countries. Simplified Chinese is used in Singapore, Malaysia and China whereas Traditional Chinese is more predominantly used in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Therefore, when translating a language into Chinese, for example, English to Chinese translation, it is important to know which version written Chinese you would want to translate into. Your target market would determine the language you choose. If you are communicating to the Hong Kong or Taiwan markets, you would use Traditional Chinese. If it’s Mainland China you wish to reach, you will choose Simplified Chinese.

Use human instead of machine translation

While machine translation is a cheap and convenient way to have your content translated, it is a risky proposition that can cause more harm to your business. When translating a language, you would not only have to be grammatically correct, but you would need to check that meaning is taken into context culturally and socially. Therefore, when translating documents, especially for business purposes (e.g. English to Chinese Translation), it is best to have a human, a real person, translate and proofread your documents before publishing.

Taiwan’s culture is influenced by the Japanese occupation, starting from the 19th century, and its close relationship with the US. Indigenous Taiwan is said to have links to Polynesia, with aboriginal tribes sharing lineage with Pacific Islanders. Mandarin is also the official language here, with Taiwanese and Taiwanese Mandarin being spoken in some parts. Today, political tensions between China will continue to shape the country and will determine how it evolves.

Oldest language of the world

The Chinese language has a history of more than 6,000 years and is known as the oldest written language of the world. Its thousands years of existence can be proved by inscriptions on turtle shells that are traced back to the Chinese Shang Dynasty around 1700s BC – 1100s BC. There are more than 50,000 Chinese characters and one would need to learn at least 2,000 characters in order to read everyday written language.

Origin of Simplified Chinese

Simplified Chinese was introduced in the 1950s and it originates from Traditional Chinese. By introducing this simpler version, it makes reading and writing Chinese much easier and in turn, this helps to promote Chinese culture. Today, more than 95% of new Chinese publications are actually written in simplified Chinese characters. That said, our team is capable of handling both Traditional and Simplified Chinese translation.