The People’s Republic of China is viewed through different lenses even today. exotic. Mysterious. Aggressive. Fascinating. These are just some of the nicknames that are attached to these 9.597 million square kilometers that make up the Land of the Dragon.

What is China today? How did “Made in China” become the most viewed brand in manufactured goods? Why has speaking and writing Chinese gained so much importance? If the Chinese are not fluent in English, isn’t the obvious solution for English users to fluent in Chinese and translate, translate, translate?

What is China today?

China is a land surrounded by the Gobi desert in the north, thick and impenetrable forests in the south, the Himalayas in the west, and the Pacific Ocean in the east. This is the reason why early civilization had limited interactions with this country. The politics of this country also added to its economic and cultural isolation. It was only in the 1970s that the winds of sweeping economic reforms swept across China’s vast landscape and ushered in a global trading economy. China’s communist government has opened up not only the market, but also the free flow of trade and technology across its borders.

Today:

China is the world’s second largest economy after the US.

a global manufacturing hub

the largest exporter and second largest importer of goods and

the largest trading nation.

Add to these facts that China weighs in with a population of 1,382,323,332 and growing every millisecond (yes, count it live by clicking the link and you’ll see how quickly the number changes), and you know what a mind-boggling economy and market you’re considering.

tongue tied in english

The emphasis on English education in China only took off in 1979 when the dragon established strong diplomatic ties with the American eagle. With estimates of English “speakers” as low as 10 million and English “learners” at 300 million, China still has a long way to go in free and easy communication, considering that a sizable portion of the West uses English. So this gigantic and well-connected market must remain incommunicado? Hardly!

“If the mountain does not come to Muhammad, Muhammad will go to the mountain”

So said Sir Francis Bacon in his Essays, 1625.

Translation: If Chinese people don’t learn English, English users will have to learn Chinese.

The official language of China and Taiwan is Mandarin, or Standard Chinese. It is also one of the four official languages ​​of Singapore.

Cantonese (a variety of Yue Chinese) is the official language of Hong Kong and Macao, China’s two mostly autonomous special administrative regions.

The script uses characters called hanzi – there are over 100,000 individual characters. Generally speaking, each character represents a syllable and can be used individually or in combinations to form words. A recent development has split this script into Simplified Chinese which uses reduced, simpler characters; this is mainly used in mainland China. The traditional version still continues in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macao.

Pinyin, the official transliteration system using the Latin alphabet, has also been developed to make pronunciation easier.

Also, it should be noted that Mandarin Chinese is spoken by the wealthy Chinese communities of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines, and Mongolia, where the Dragon makes its presence quite prominent and breathes fiery breath.

Language translates into business

With China encouraging the free flow of business and becoming the golden land of opportunity, Chinese-language communication takes on various shapes and colors if it is necessary to tap into this ever-deeper high-potential market.

Professional Chinese translation must be specific to the target area and the purpose for which this service is required. For example, if the target market is Mainland China and/or Singapore, the written Chinese type would be Simplified Chinese. However, Traditional Chinese would be the lingua franca for companies operating within the high-tech industry and Simplified Chinese would be preferred for companies in the manufacturing sectors.

English to Chinese translators need to know much more than just the languages: a good translation company will offer translators who know the type of profession for which the translation is required.

taking care of business

There are many professional translation needs that arise in the course of business.

The language and tone of the translation have to be adapted to each need. There is no such thing as a wide brush that you can paint Chinese with! Processing of documents, patents, resumes, medical records, study certificates, brochures, insurance, visas… the list is endless when a country opens its doors to the rest of the world.

Add to this the nuances of Chinese writing where one stroke or one syllable can change the entire context or meaning. Work in the domain of English as a language of business and commerce. Take into account the fact that the Chinese ethos is a little-known and tentatively understood denominator and the care that must be taken to keep the subtleties of language first. The formula for success dictates that English be skillfully translated into Chinese taking into account text, script, language, tone, and appropriateness.

That is why an expert translation is needed. No automated or translation software can meet the requirements in a language like Chinese. Ordering a bowl of schezwan noodles and kung pao chicken is enough, but not when your needs are professional and your goal is heaven.

China still sizzles exotic in many minds. But as the People’s Republic increasingly demolishes the “Great Wall” that once surrounded its isolationist mentality, the layers of mystery are melting away. China is a prosperous and booming economy today. Make your presence felt at the Big Bang.

Translate your business strategies to success. Literally.