Confidently zoom ahead of your competitors with accurate, high-quality English to Chinese translate it right, first time

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English to Chinese translate it right, steal a march on the competition and be culturally spot on.  Also in translating Chinese to English it must be good English not some risky Chinglish.

What format do you need to make an impact in China and some important considerations to help you.

Competition to do business with China is everywhere. To stay in the game and get a response you must ensure correct understanding. Providing quality translations of all communications is the best way. To assume ‘they understand English’ is a big no-no. Your proposal will go to the bottom of the pile and your competitors will get the deal. Make it easy and respectful.

You don’t want to be ignored either, like the CEO whose Chinese title transformed to Chief Administrator. Australian contexts need experienced Australian Chinese translators who understand both the terminology and the background and can give you a great head start.

What format do you need?

We translate into Chinese and English:

Important questions you need to consider

What format will work best and what about design?

Tell us how you want to use the finished product. Chinese design and layout are important – if you are publishing or printing a book, poster or advertisement in Chinese, for example, you don’t want the final product to be mangled. Chinese has strict publishing standards, fonts and we use special design software to produce the final product ready to print. We can work with all the major publishing software and have a library of fonts to select from and can guarantee the end result. If you need printing we can assist you to make sure nothing goes wrong.

If you are presenting at a conference there are a number of materials you can consider taking - for example a powerpoint presentation can be crafted in several ways to make a good impression on the Chinese audience.

If you are planning to do business with China, it is important to choose the right company for Chinese translation from the outset. We will work with you on a continuing basis, ensuring consistency in terminology, styles, names and appearance and advise you on the best format. We’ll be available to make changes along the way as people, branding and numbers change. You won’t have to start from scratch each time – we’ll understand fully what is required. Your partners in Chinese translation.

It is vital to get the names right

What a lot of people don‘t know is that most names do not have a set translation and to swap and change the name of your executives or technology or brand as different translators come and go is a recipe for disaster – no one will ever know what you are talking about. We’ll be ready to produce updates, changes and urgent documents without going back to square one.

How will I know my translation says what I want it to say?

The only way to be sure is by choosing a capable translation company with local experience, qualifications, good track record and reputation. You are putting your reputation and successful China venture in their hands. Do you know where they are? In country or in cyberspace? A translator overseas will not have an appreciation of the Australian way of doing business, Australian systems and language – this really is important. Translators overseas are much more tuned into American language and structures and this will lead to confused and incorrect translations.

A good translation company will want to talk to you about your aims and your work – be it a translated business card, a powerpoint in Chinese or a Chinese contract – to understand the outcome you seek, as well as to clarify certain terms, for example. You can’t expect a good result without some discussion. We’ll throw in any helpful advice we can based on our 20 years working with Australian businesses doing Chinese translations. We’ll even advise on your source text.

What language do I need to use?

This is a vital question and one of the first ones your translator should ask you – who are you targeting? There is no point in translating into ‘Cantonese’ if your audience is in Mainland China! There are many dialects, different versions of written Chinese and even different ways of expressing something as basic as 'Sydney', 'Australia' or 'computer'. If you don’t get the language right, your intended audience may be offended. We’ll ask you these important questions and more to make sure you get the right Chinese language version on your documents.

What if I want to reach the local Chinese population who come from all corners of the globe – how do I get their attention?

Much of our work and cross-cultural advice is called on for migrants. We can assist in developing a campaign and in getting the words right to ensure you get on the radar of this sizable and wealthy group. We can even lodge Chinese advertisements in the right publications for you.

So the first question we’ll ask you is likely to be how are you going to use the translation and who is the target audience.

How long will my Chinese translation take?

What we ask first is when do you need it… really?

Good translations take time – just like it has taken you time to write the words. Of course, if you are signing the contract tomorrow, we’ll do our best to have the Chinese translation ready. Try to factor in enough time in your project to have high-quality translations completed. Be prepared and make sure your document is free of errors. Be available to discuss and handle queries. Before we start we'll raise any issues to assist you to the best outcome we can.

What if I need some urgent changes in format or wording?

You might be in Australia or overseas - you need to update your powerpoint, or you've run out of business cards, or you need a quick brochure put together - we've done it all before and very quickly so you don't miss out on an opportunity. We'll never lose your important work and we'll bend over backwards to get you what you need.

What will it cost to translate my work in Chinese?

We’d like to see what you have in mind and discuss the overall aims and deadline. How urgent is the work; what format is it in, how difficult is the subject or language used; how complex is the layout; how long or how many words are in it are some of the considerations.

What we see time and time again though is that you get what you pay for. You may not be comparing apples with apples. In some countries, anyone who thinks they can speak 2 languages and has the internet can call themselves a "translator" – of course they’ll be cheap. What is the translator going to deliver – a ready to print brochure or powerpoint, full of errors - something you have to redo. And what about the deadline – what sort of guarantee there? What assurance on quality – and if you don’t know where they are – what could you do about it anyway. No point in paying any money at all if you missed the deal or the translation was rubbish.

Our experience can alert you to important issues and save you money

So talk to us about your aim and text – we can often make helpful suggestions or raise important issues for you to consider in your preparation stage that will save you money. Compare quotes if budget is an issue – but beware that translation standards vary enormously (even within Australia) and it is always worth asking for advice and paying a professional price for a professional, guaranteed service.

How do I choose a good translator?

It must be someone you can talk to - to get a good translation, the translator needs to gain a knowledge of your company’s circumstances, culture, terminology and proposition. Stick with a local company you can trust that has guarantees and good experience and talk to them – they‘ll certainly want to talk to you if they are worth their salt.

Check out references, ask around, find out what they've done - talk to them. You don't get someone good by choosing the cheapest price online - your Chinese translation may come out of India where they don't even speak Chinese! You want to know the company will be around next time you've got an urgent and critical need.

Our skilful and experienced professional Chinese translation team can assist you to build a successful business and avoid the pitfalls of poor translation, missed deadlines and misunderstandings.

Contact us at Chin Communications for free translation advice, helpful publications and draw on our 20 years of experience helping people like you do business with China.

Nine out of ten buyers want info in their language

Just how does Chin Communications produce such high quality English to Chinese - Chinese to English translation work?

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Chin Communications

CHINESE TRANSLATION SPECIALISTS

1300 792 446

Our translations
will be: accurate; culturally appropriate; inclusive of feedback to help you communicate better; and, in most cases, within
24 hours.