With more than 1.3 billion native speakers, Chinese is the most widely spoken native language in the world. One-quarter of the world’s population speaks some form of Chinese, including 800 million active Internet users—making the language highly relevant to any organization that communicates globally.
The importance of this linguistic demographic is further amplified by China’s economic prominence. As one of the largest and fastest-growing markets, China’s private consumption is set to more than double to reach $12.7 trillion by 2030, about the same amount that American consumers currently spend, according to Morgan Stanley. This figure is comparable to the current spending power of American consumers. Companies looking to expand their footprint in this dynamic market must cater to the preferences of Chinese-speaking consumers, and that starts with language.
However, when localizing content for Chinese-speaking audiences, there is a critical decision to be made: should you use Simplified Chinese or Traditional Chinese? In this blog, we’ll explore the differences between these two writing systems and help you decide which one to choose for your localization needs.
Why are there two Chinese writing systems?
The existence of two Chinese writing systems is due to historical and political developments in China. Traditional Chinese has existed since the Han Dynasty (~200 B.C.) and is still used in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and many overseas Chinese communities. However, the complex characters of Traditional Chinese, with over 50,000 intricate symbols, posed a challenge to literacy.
In 1949, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) introduced Simplified Chinese to improve literacy rates. By reducing the number of strokes and combining similar characters, Simplified Chinese became easier to learn and write. It was adopted in mainland China, Malaysia, and Singapore. Today, the legacy of these reforms has resulted in the coexistence of two writing systems, each deeply rooted in different regions and cultural contexts.
Main Differences Between Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese
Understanding the distinctions between Simplified and Traditional Chinese is essential for effective localization. Here are the main differences between the two writing systems:
Character Structure
One of the most notable differences is the structure of the characters. Simplified Chinese characters generally have fewer strokes and simpler forms compared to Traditional Chinese characters. This simplification process often involves reducing the number of strokes and merging complex characters.
For example, the Traditional Chinese character for “book” is 書, which consists of 10 strokes. In Simplified Chinese, it is written as 书, with only 4 strokes. The simplified characters are designed to be quicker and easier to write, making them more accessible to learners.
| English | Simplified Chinese | Traditional Chinese |
| dragon | 龙 | 龍 |
| fly | 飞 | 飛 |
| love | 爱 | 愛 |
| listen | 听 | 聽 |
| electricity | 电 | 電 |
Number of Characters
Simplified Chinese has a reduced number of characters due to the merging of some Traditional characters that have the same pronunciation. This process removed about 1,000 characters from the lexical inventory of Traditional Chinese, making Simplified Chinese more streamlined.
For example, the Simplified Chinese character 发 can mean either “hair” (髮) or “to develop” (發) in Traditional Chinese. This merging means that fewer characters are needed in Simplified Chinese to convey the same meaning, but it also requires context to determine the correct interpretation.
Vocabulary and Sentence Structure
While both writing systems follow similar grammatical rules, there are differences in vocabulary and sentence structure. Certain words and expressions are unique to each system, and some characters that appear in both systems may have different meanings or uses.
Examples include:
Default: 默认 (Simplified) vs. 預設 (Traditional)
Video: 视频 (Simplified) vs. 影片 (Traditional)
Speech: 讲话 (Simplified) vs. 演說 (Traditional)
These differences highlight the importance of understanding the specific context and audience for your content.
Text Flow
The direction of text flow differs between Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. Simplified Chinese is usually written horizontally, which is the standard in Mainland China. Traditional Chinese, however, can be written both horizontally and vertically, and it’s not uncommon to see text flowing in both directions on the same page in regions where Traditional Chinese is used, such as Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Simplified vs. Traditional Chinese: Which One to Choose for Localization?
The choice between Simplified and Traditional Chinese largely depends on the target market for your business:
Mainland China, Singapore, and Malaysia: Simplified Chinese is the standard script and should be used for these regions.
Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau: Traditional Chinese is the norm. It’s also important to note that the Traditional Chinese used in Taiwan and Hong Kong have evolved separately, requiring further localization.
For international audiences, especially in immigrant communities, consider the demographic and historical factors that might influence language preference. Older generations may prefer Traditional Chinese, while younger audiences might be more accustomed to Simplified Chinese.
Conclusion
Choosing between Simplified and Traditional Chinese for localization is critical to effectively reaching Chinese-speaking audiences. Simplified Chinese is dominant in Mainland China and Southeast Asia, while Traditional Chinese is essential in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. Depending on your market, you may need to use one or both writing systems to ensure your content resonates appropriately with your audience.
At EC Innovations, we provide professional Chinese translation services in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Cantonese, and more. Whether you’re targeting Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, or other regions with significant Chinese-speaking populations, our comprehensive translation services are tailored to meet your specific needs. Contact us today to learn more!
