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Chinese software translations

The Chinese software translation process presents an exciting and challenging task.

There is a wide array of technological solutions depending on the technical basis of your Chinese software translation that require a high level of expertise. The same applies to handling the Chinese language and converting its written language in modern software.


Examples of technical formats for your Chinese software translations

Databases, EXE and RC files, CSV, XML, SGML, HTML, PHP, ASP and JSP

(In this example it is possible to recycle previously translated texts, thus maintaining your terminology according to the transcycling® principle).
The following generally applies: You get back the format that you give us.


  • Chinese translations of databases and DB exports

    Texts for translation are often found in databases, whether they are texts from content management systems, desktop software or special software for controlling machines. CSV or XML exports are usually possible and we can translate them without any problems. We will even handle your MySQL exports and imports for you.

  • Chinese translations of completely compiled Windows programs (EXE, DLL, SYS,...)

    Provide us with a completely compiled EXE and you will get the translated EXE back.

    In this case, your Chinese software translation is done using our highly specialized transcycling® localization software. This makes your software's menu dialogues directly accessible to the Chinese translator, making subsequent software testing unnecessary and allowing any adjustment in the size of dialogue boxes, etc. to be made directly during translation into Chinese.

  • Chinese translations of resource files (RC, RC2, DLG)

    Resource files (rc files etc.) can be easily translated using several of our transcycling® tools. However, your software's menu dialogues must be checked for any necessary size adjustments in a separate software testing process.

  • Chinese translations of Visual BASIC binary files

  • XML and SGML

    Translations of XML and SGML files are based upon the DTD (document type definition) of the XML or SGML document according to the nature of the XML or SGML. Should you not have such a DTD available, we will create a DTD specific to the translation of your XML or SGML document which satisfies all the requirements of the XML or SGML Chinese software translation.

  • CSV

    CSV (Comma separated values) is a popular exchange format for the contents of databases which is ideally suited for your Chinese software translation. If you have the choice, XML is preferred for translations for technical reasons.

  • HTML, PHP, ASP, JSP  (Chinese website translations) with any embedded JavaScript

    You provide us with your source format (whether it is HTML, PHP, ASP, JSP or the like) and we will deliver your website translated into Chinese. If necessary, we can also search for any texts embedded in the programming code without your programmer having to do anything (for Javascript, PHP, ASP, JSP among others).
    Chinese translations of database-supported content management systems (CMS): See above: Chinese translations of databases and DB exports.


 Chinese characters and modern software: Encoding, adapting graphics and writing direction


Encoding in Chinese software translations


In order to display Chinese characters (whether in "text-only" formats such as HTML, CSV, XML, SGML, RC files, etc. or for programs using fonts), defining a set of characters to be used is indispensable. The following usually comes into question: UTF-8, GB2312 and BIG5.
  • UTF-8
    UTF-8 is the most commonly used and sensible implementation of the Unicode convention. Unicode contains virtually all of the world's defined characters and is thus well-suited for multilingual software. The format uses as few bits (units of memory) as possible (for European languages usually 8, for Chinese 16 bits per character), thus keeping storage space small.
  • BIG5
    BIG5 is the proprietary set of characters for the characters in traditional Chinese. However, since the original BIG5 set of characters does not contain all the characters in use - especially in Hong Kong - various BIG5 extensions have developed which are marketed in part as patches. Therefore, we do not advise using BIG5 for Chinese software translations. BIG5 contains about 16,000 characters.
  • GB2312
    GB2312 is the proprietary set of characters for the characters in simplified Chinese. GB2312 contains about 7200 characters.

Graphic adjustments in Chinese translation software


As with all translations, longer or shorter character strings than in the original source language text can result in Chinese software translations. During this process it's possible that text length, among other things, exceeds the menu dialogues, making graphic adjustments to the menu dialogues necessary.

Should Chinese translations be made using completely compiled EXE files, it is possible to adapt them during the Chinese translation with the aid of our transcycling® software. Otherwise, it will be necessary to have the compiled software tested by language specialists, which Transline USA would be happy to offer you.

Writing direction


The writing direction for modern, traditional and simplified Chinese is from left to right with lines going from top to bottom. Before 1911, the traditional way of writing was nearly always from top to bottom with the lines going from right to left.

Traditionally, Chinese can also be written from left to right and from right to left as well as from top to bottom (here usually with lines going from the right to left).

In Taiwan and Hong Kong, this is particularly common in the media today. For Chinese software translations this does not make much sense but can be used in exceptional cases, e.g. to better use a program at selected points.


Chinese language and writing: Various Chinese dialects versus Mandarin, Simplified Chinese versus Traditional Chinese


Mandarin versus various Chinese dialects

Although most Chinese people view Chinese as one language, the dialects of the various regions are as different from each other as the Romance languages are from each other. The official language of not only the People's Republic of China but also Taiwan is Mandarin, which is based on the dialect of the Peking region (Beijing). However, the official language of Hong Kong and Macao is Cantonese.

Therefore, the language of choice for your Chinese software translation should be Mandarin, as it is considerably more widespread.

Simplified and traditional Chinese and the way of writing various Chinese dialects


The designations "simplified" and "traditional" Chinese refer to the written language exclusively. This written language is similar but not identical to spoken Mandarin in its vocabulary and grammar. Both simplified and traditional Chinese refer to this written language.

  • Simplified Chinese

    Simplified Chinese is based on the simplification and combination of the traditional written characters introduced by the People's Republic of China in the 1950s. Simplified Chinese is written in the People's Republic of China and in Singapore. However, ever since policies have relaxed, the tendency in the PRC has been to return to traditional characters in everyday use. The reason for this is that the traditional characters are easier to read as they are more distinct, and the ease in writing the simplified characters as far as the ability to write faster is concerned is losing relevance due to text processing.

    Chinese software translations with PR China as the main target area should use simplified Chinese.

  • Traditional Chinese

    Traditional Chinese is written in Taiwan, Macao and Hong Kong.

    Chinese software translations with Taiwan, Macao or Hong Kong as the main target area should use traditional Chinese.

  • The spelling of various Chinese dialects

    The spelling of various Chinese dialect deviates sometimes more, sometimes less from simplified Chinese (also orientated to Mandarin). The deviation is so great in Cantonese that an unversed non-Cantonese person cannot read colloquial Cantonese in written form. Other dialects deviate to a lesser extent but regions do have their own regional characters or retentions from classical written characters - which are otherwise not used in everyday life - that vary greatly.