Simplified vs. Traditional Characters
Documents from mainland China use Simplified Chinese (简体), while Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau use Traditional Chinese (繁體). Using the wrong character set invalidates translations for official purposes. Our translators always match the correct script.
Logographic System & Context
Chinese characters convey meaning through pictographic and ideographic components, not phonetics. The same character can have different meanings depending on context, and legal terminology uses highly specialized character combinations.
Name Romanization
Chinese names must be romanized using the correct system — Pinyin for mainland China, Wade-Giles or other systems for Taiwan. USCIS requires names to match passport romanization exactly.
Chop/Seal Authentication
Chinese official documents use red seals (印章) instead of signatures. Translators must identify and describe these seals accurately, as they serve as the legal authentication for the document.