Abacus Chinese Translation Services

Chinese Translation FAQ
(Frequently Asked Questions About Chinese Translation)

1. Written Language: Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. Which one should I choose?

Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese are two forms of written Chinese characters. In short, Simplified Chinese characters are used in Mainland China, Singapore, and Malaysia.  Traditional Chinese characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and overseas Chinese communities.  For details, please see our Simplified Chinese vs. Traditional Chinese page.

2. Spoken Dialects: Mandarin and Cantonese. Which one should I choose?

Mandarin and Cantonese are the two most widely spoken Chinese languages in the United States.  Mandarin is the official language of China, and Taiwan, and is one of the official languages of Singapore.  Cantonese is one of the official languages of Hong Kong, and Macau and is widely spoken by older Chinese communities in the United States and Canada.  Please see Mandarin, Cantonese, and Other Chinese Dialects for more information.

3. Can I read Chinese on my Blackberry?

Yes, you can.  Please see How to Read Chinese on Blackberry article.  If you wish to type Chinese on your Blackberry, simply read our Chinese Input on Blackberry article.

4. How long does a Chinese translation take?

We can meet your deadline.  For a supplementary fee, we can do it even if you need a 10 page document translated into Chinese within a few hours. 

5. I have confidentiality concerns. Is my document safe?

Abacus Chinese Translation Services protects the safety, security and confidentiality of your documents. We will never share information with any undisclosed third party.  If necessary, a Non-Disclosure Agreement can be signed before you send the document to us.

6. Which direction is Chinese written in?

In the very beginning, Chinese characters and symbols found on oracle bones or tortoise shells were written from top to bottom in a column fashion.  The vertical lines are read from left to right.  Then, the vertical lines of the Chinese characters started to read from right to left. For short displays, such as horizontal banners, the characters are also written from right to left.

Nowadays, in Simplified Chinese, almost all publications are printed from left to right with only occasional deviation when some layout variations are desired. Even with traditional Chinese, most books and newspapers are also printed from left to right.

7. Any news about your company?

Please see our Press Releases