- #Translation vs transliteration how to#
- #Translation vs transliteration registration#
- #Translation vs transliteration license#
Intellectual Property Rights in China (Second Edition)įrom covering protocol for dealing with trade fairs, to the application processes for trademarks, patents, copyright and licensing, as well as dealing with infringements and enforcement, this book is a practical reference for those concerned with their IPR in China.At Kent State University, our Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies wants to help guide your path and open doors to becoming a part of the growing language industry. Please contact the firm at or visit Related Reading
#Translation vs transliteration registration#
Transliteration is the correct way to go, and caters for professionalism and brand sensitivity for the Chinese consumer.ĭezan Shira & Associates provides transliteration services, in addition to trademark application and business registration services in China. A jumble of nonsensical characters defining the brand image denotes a lack of thought towards the Chinese consumer and will turn them off – even if phonetically they sound similar to your intentions.
When converting names and brands into Chinese then, it is important your advisor or lawyer offers not just translation, but transliteration. It certainly helped that the transliteration of Uniqlo means “Excellent Government Warehouse” a name that may seem slightly odd in the United States (Army Surplus is probably the closest) but in Chinese is regarded both as a smart transliteration and has connotations of government-sanctioned quality. The Japanese casual clothing brand Uniqlo for example were nowhere to be seen in China a couple of years back, but now are everywhere and sales are booming. On the other hand, a smart transliteration can make a huge difference, both in immediate brand awareness and in sales. It is, by definition, the practice of converting a text from one script to another, and often in a systematic way.Ĭhina unfortunately is littered with the work of obvious, and nonsensical translations of English names into Chinese, they are almost too numerous to mention, yet could have easily been avoided. What is actually required is transliteration – in which the verbal pronunciation is matched up with the appropriate written characters. Relying purely on the translation of company names into Chinese is obviously not enough. It cost a fortune to get them back – the stories of name rip-offs are often the result of relying purely on translations and not going the extra mile. Coke had to resubmit their entire trademark applications with more suitable work, during which time someone else had trademarked the characters they should have used all along. But what the Chinese characters actually spelled out was “Bite the Wax Tadpole” which may be amusing, but wasn’t the marketing ploy the company had intended. Coca-Cola when originally entering the Mainland China market, opted for a translation that allowed the verbal pronunciation of the brand to be similar to the English. Similar pitfalls exist even more so in Mandarin, where even the mighty have had problems.
Beware then, using the wrong character when choosing the correct sound, as such nuances can obviously have serious connotations if not appreciated. They sound similar, although the characters are completely different. Pronouncing the word “gao” for example in Cantonese can, depending on tones, refer to a dog, the number nine, or a penis.
However, certain Chinese characters can sound almost identical.
Typically, a translation will provide for a literal translation of the original name into verbally similar Chinese, and then rewrite that into Chinese characters. The conversion of a brand name into Chinese should follow not just one, but two protocols. Using purely “translation,” as is often advised by many would-be overseas China-focused lawyers, doesn’t actually do the job. It is important to get this right, as this apparently simple area is littered with colossal mistakes. For brands, these conversions into Chinese are submitted as part of trademark and brand name applications, and will then appear as your brand for the China market.
#Translation vs transliteration license#
This matters, as it is mandatory for all company names, whether in English or any other language, to be converted into Chinese.įor businesses, the Chinese name will appear on the business license and other corporate documentation, business cards, office/factory signage and be the corporate China face of the company.
#Translation vs transliteration how to#
7 – An important aspect of any foreign company investing in China is how to present the company name and any associated brands while in the country.
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