What Makes Chinese Translation So Difficult?

With 1.1 billion native speakers, Chinese is the most widely spoken language globally.

Interestingly, it is likewise one of the most difficult languages to translate. In Mandarin alone, there are over 80,000 characters, making Chinese translation seem especially awkward. In addition, Chinese is especially nuanced due to its tonal nature.

There are many more challenges that native translators face while performing cost effective English To Chinese translation.

We know your next question.

What Makes Chinese Translation So Difficult?

We’ve compiled a list of difficulties that Chinese translators face while translating the content.

1- Use of Right Characters

The most crucial aspect of the Chinese language to know is that its writing system completely relies on symbols, which are called ideographic characters.

Every character showcases a thought instead of a single word and can have more than one meaning. Also, there are around 3000 characters that are utilized more often, along with 6000 characters that are widely used in technical writings as well as literature.

Another aspect of Chinese writing is that symbols can be written left to right or right to left. Also, they can be written up and down based on what message is passed on. As such, translation can be very tough, specifically when Chinese is paired with a language that comprises a linear writing style.

Due to accurate Chinese translation based just on the literal meaning of every character but likewise, the context, the expert working on your should be a native Chinese speaker.

2- Different Dialects

Mandarin is the official lingo of China, but it is just one of many dialects of Chinese. The four key languages are Yue (Cantonese), Mandarin, Wu, and Min.

In Mandarin, there are 4 tones to find out how a specific word is pronounced; so one word can comprise four meanings.

For instance, the word “ma can” means scold, mother, horse, or rough, or horse based on how the word is spoken.

As dialect can affect word choices as well as meaning, translators must have a complete understanding of which dialect is required for the proper chinese translation help.

3- Working with Idioms

As a language that is embedded in tradition and culture, Chinese is affluent when it comes to the use of idioms.

Chinese idiomatic expression “chengyu” comprises four characters. It mainly stems from ancient literature, where a myth, story, or historical fact can be explained most efficiently.

With over 5,000 official Chengyu established in the language, translators must understand and pass on the idiom cultural context not just in the general text but even in the case of valuable Chinese website translation.

4- Formation of Sentences

The Chinese language comprises a two-sentence structure: simple and complex sentences.

Though the simple sentence structure seems like subject, predicate as well as object, there are huge differences when it comes to the structure and English. For instance, in Chinese, the predicate is never always a verb, the same as in English.

Whereas, in the Chinese language the complex sentence has groupings of simple sentences. Hence, translators have to understand the Chinese sentence patterns thoroughly to precisely deliver concepts in another language.

Thus, it is required to essentially know about Chinese language to get a complete understanding of this lingo.

5- Complex Grammar System

There is a huge difference in the Grammar of the Chinese language in comparison to other languages like English.

For instance, In Chinese words don’t have singular as well as plural forms; there is only one word for both.

One more grammar rule is that Chinese sentences are mainly focused on the topic, which implies that the topic of the sentence is mentioned first.

Also, verbs are not transformed to express tenses. As such, the various meanings of words need to be figured out by thinking about the context in which they are explicit.

In Conclusion

Chinese is the most widely spoken and among the most challenging languages to translate. Considering all the difficulties that native translators face while Chinese translation, partnering with one of the prominent Chinese translation companies that specialize in Chinese is the most ideal way to make sure that your translation is accurate and takes into account every cultural nuance that is a part of the language.

Interested in our Chinese translation solutions? Contact us today at +91-8527599523 or simply request an free quote.