Chinese language translation and interpreting service

The vast majority of the Chinese-speaking population is in China (more than 980 million), Hong Kong, and Taiwan (19 million). Substantial numbers of Chinese speakers now also live in the UK.

What is the difference between Cantonese and Mandarin?

Mandarin is a group of Sinitic (“Chinese”) languages and dialects that are natively spoken across most of northern and southwestern China. The group includes the Beijing dialect, the basis of the phonology of Standard Chinese, which is the main language of government, the media and education in China and Taiwan, and one of the four official languages in Singapore. With upwards of 980-million Mandarin speakers worldwide, it is thought to be one of the world’s most spoken languages.

Cantonese  is a Sinitic language (of the Sino-Tibetan languages) originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding area in Southeastern China. It is spoken by about 85 million people, mainly in southern China, particularly in the provinces of Guangdong, Hainan and Hunan, and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and also in Hong Kong and Macau.

It should be noted that Mandarin and Cantonese are spoken forms of Chinese, whereas traditional and simplified Chinese are variations of the written form. They should not be confused; that is, Mandarin is not the same thing as simplified Chinese.

There are two written forms of Chinese – Traditional and Simplified

Simplified characters are used in the Peoples’ Republic of China and Singapore. Traditional Chinese characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. Although simplified and traditional Chinese are only variations of written Chinese, it is not unusual to find that those who read only traditional Chinese cannot understand simplified Chinese, and vice versa. Therefore, it is important in Chinese translation to determine whether simplified or traditional Chinese should be used for a particular target market.

Our Chinese language translation and Cantonese / Mandarin interpreting services include:

  • Document translation
  • Client interviews
  • Court appearances
  • Depositions
  • Immigration interviews
  • Prison visits
  • Business meetings
  • Client presentations
  • Factory/site visits
  • Hospital visits
  • International trade fairs

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