Simplified or Traditional Chinese refers strictly to written forms, and their distinction is important for Chinese translation service. For Chinese document translation service (written translation), clients need to first determine which form of written Chinese is needed: Simplified or Traditional?
Chinese translation service: Simplified or Traditional?
Simplified Chinese characters are used in mainland China and by expatriates from there, whereas Traditional Chinese characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, as well as by expatriates from these regions.
Before inquiring for Chinese translation service, clients need to first determine which written form is suitable for their needs.
Comparison of the two written forms: Chinese translation service
History
Traditional Chinese is the traditional way of writing Chinese characters. The characters usually have more strokes and appear more complicated. Simplified Chinese was adopted later in mainland China as an effort to reduce illiteracy, and now has a larger user base.
Pronunciation
Generally speaking, the pronunciation for the same word is identical in the two forms.
Appearance
For the majority of the characters, the shape of the two forms differs.
For a subset of characters, the shape of the two forms is identical.
Meaning
For the majority of the characters, the meaning of the two forms remains the same.
However, a small subset of the characters and phrases has taken on a completely different meaning and usage.
Special attention should be called to the differences in meaning and usage. Although this only occurs to a small subset of the vocabulary, it can pose real challenges in communication. People from Taiwan may not understand the different terms used in Mainland China and vice versa. The sample phrases below most likely cannot be understood by native speakers of the other form unless the audience have been exposed to them before.
| English | Simplified Chinese | Traditional Chinese |
|---|---|---|
| Software | 软件 | 軟體 |
| Fraud | 欺诈 | 詐欺 |
| Mercedes Benz | 奔驰 | 賓士 |
| Metro (subway) | 地铁 | 捷運 |
| Yogurt | 酸奶 | 優酪乳 |
| Text message | 短信 | 簡訊 |
For more extensive reading on the Chinese written forms, read the Wikipedia entry: Simplified Chinese characters.
Comparison of the market for the two forms of Chinese translation service
Simplified Chinese undoubtedly has a much larger audience than Traditional Chinese given the population sizes.
When companies expand their endeavors into the China market, many choose Simplified Chinese for a larger audience outreach. However, if your target audience is primarily or exclusively from Taiwan or Hong Kong, Traditional Chinese is the preferred choice.
Of course, if your budget allows, have both!
Hire for the right written form: Chinese translation service
As discussed above, whether you use Traditional Chinese or Simplified Chinese should be determined by where your target audience is from.
When the bar for precision is high, e.g., legal documents, it is essential to retain translators who are native speakers of the specific written form. If clients cannot secure enough translators of the desired form, we recommend that at least one linguist on the translation/proofreading team be a native speaker of that written form.
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