Skip to content

Chinese (Simplified) style guide

Voice

  • Style: clear, friendly, concise. Everyday conversation, not formal or technical register.
  • Choose words for the audience: technical terms for technical audiences, common words for consumers.
  • Non-standard translations OK if they keep the source intent.
  • Never translate word for word. Read the whole paragraph or page first. Split or simplify sentences. Omit descriptors to make text snappier.
  • Rewrite strings so they are natural to zh-CN. Remove unnecessary content.
  • Check source text in live pages. Never translate a bare list of strings without context.
  • Completed result: en All 3 records were created successfully. -> zh-CN 3 条记录都已创建成功。
  • If a phrase has no good translation or feels odd in Chinese, do not translate it: 如果实在找不到合适的翻译或者在中文语境中感觉很突兀的话就不翻,切忌弄巧成拙、过犹不及。
  • 都 implies All, so omit All. Not 全部 3 条记录都已成功创建。 (low readability).

Words and phrases to avoid

  • Avoid an unnecessarily formal tone.
  • blog: 日志 -> 博客/微博
  • if: 倘若/假使/假若 -> 假如/如果
  • if you want…: 若要 -> 要/如果要
  • only: 仅是 -> 只是

Word choice

  • Use approved terminology for key terms, technical terms, product names.
  • Some terms have different targets in different products. Check all relevant metadata when multiple targets exist. Technical docs and UI: formal translation. Marketing: informal translation.
  • app: 应用. Use 应用程序 for application.
  • PC: 电脑 in general context. Follow approved targets for terms containing PC.
  • computer: 计算机 in general context. Follow approved targets for terms containing computer.
  • pick: 选取. Use 选择 for select.
  • USB drive: U 盘 in general context, USB 驱动器 in Windows To Go context only.
  • USB flash drive: U 盘. Never USB 闪存驱动器.
  • maximum [limits]: 上限, not 最大/最高限制, in less formal situations.
  • minimum [limits]: 下限, not 最小/最低限制, in less formal situations.
  • xxx name: xxx名, not xxx名称. Old: 列名称/用户名称/文件名称已存在。 New: 列名/用户名/文件名已存在。

Word-to-word translation

  • Avoid word-to-word translation. It makes the tone stiff and unnatural.
  • Reflect your individuality -> 彰显你的个性, not 反映你的个性
  • Serious. Fun. -> 张弛有度。, not 严肃。有趣。
  • In short, your stuff and your info isn't limited to any single PC or device. Because you're bigger than any box. -> 总之,你的资料和信息不会受限于任何一台电脑或设备。对你而言,世界再无阻隔。, not 总之,你的资料和信息不会限制于任何一个电脑或设备。因为你比他们更大。
  • The best of work and play. -> 尽善尽美的工作和娱乐体验。, not 最棒的工作和娱乐。

Inclusive language

  • Comply with local language laws.
  • Use plain language: straightforward, concrete, familiar words. Use several clear words instead of one complicated term.
  • Name only cities, countries, or regions that are not politically disputed. In examples with several regions, use equivalent references. Do not mix countries with states or continents.
  • In text and images, show diverse people, professions, educational settings, locales, economic settings.
  • Never generalize or stereotype by region, culture, age, or gender, not even a positive stereotype. For job roles, choose names across gender identities and cultural backgrounds.
  • No profane or derogatory terms.
  • No slang that could be cultural appropriation.
  • No terms with unconscious racial bias or terms tied to military actions, politics, or controversial historical events and eras.
  • 蛮子 -> 南方人
  • 残废 -> 残疾、残障人士
  • 老外 -> 外国人
  • 乡下人 -> 农村人
  • 社会阶级 -> 社会阶层
  • 村长 -> 村委会主任、村主任
  • 回回 -> 回族
  • 北朝鲜 -> 朝鲜

Avoid gender bias

  • Use gender-neutral alternatives. Avoid compounds with gender-specific terms.
  • 母老虎 -> 强势女性
  • 剩女 -> 大龄青年
  • 娘炮 -> 女性化男性
  • 长舌妇 -> 搬弄是非的人
  • 女秘书 -> 秘书
  • 妇孺皆知 -> 众所周知
  • Never use gendered pronouns (她, 他) in generic references. Instead: rewrite with the substitutive form 其; omit the pronoun (文档 instead of 他的文档); refer to the role (读者, 员工, 顾客, 客户); use 人员 or 个人.
  • If the user has the appropriate rights, he can set other users' passwords. -> A user with the appropriate rights can set other users' passwords.; 如果用户具有适当的权限,他可以设置其他用户的密码。 -> 具有适当权限的用户可以设置其他用户的密码。
  • A developer needs access to servers in his development environment, but he doesn't need access to the servers in Azure. -> Developers need access to servers in their development environments, but they don't need access to the servers in Azure.; 开发者需要访问他的开发环境中的服务器,但不需要访问Azure中的服务器。 -> 开发者需要访问其开发环境中的服务器,但不需要访问Azure中的服务器。
  • When the author opens her document …. -> When the author opens the document ….; 当作者打开她的文档时…. -> 当作者打开该文档时….
  • To call someone, select his name, select Make a phone call, and then select his number. -> To call someone, select the person's name, select Make a phone call, and then choose the number you'd like to dial.; 要呼叫某人,请选择他的姓名,选择“拨打电话”,然后选择他的电话号码。 -> 要呼叫某人,请选择该人员的姓名,选择“拨打电话”,然后选择你要拨打的电话号码。
  • For a real person, use the pronouns that person prefers: 他, 她, 他们, or another. Gendered pronouns (他, 她, 他的, 她的) are OK for real people who use them.
  • Use gender-neutral language in new products and content. Existing or legacy material need not be updated.

Accessibility

Use the shared accessible content guidance for identity, readable text and input methods. Preserve the difference between selecting an object, invoking a command and performing a gesture; follow interface actions.

Abbreviations

Use an established abbreviation only when readers can recognize it in context. Preserve spaces, punctuation and case that belong to the approved form. Control line wrapping through layout; do not insert a nonbreaking space inside an identifier or remove part of a name to make it fit.

Acronyms

Keep the approved spelling and case of an acronym, including mixed-case forms. Expand it when this audience needs the explanation; an expansion is not required merely because the text is translated. Preserve identifiers exactly. See names and formats.

Adjectives

  • Generally do not use 最好, 最强, 唯一.
  • Do not translate every possessive adjective.
  • You can publish an existing application to the Web. Not all desktop database features are supported on the Web, so you may have to adjust some features of your application. -> 你可以将现有的应用程序发布到 Web 上,但并非所有桌面数据库功能都受 Web 支持,因此你可能必须调整应用程序的一些功能。; avoid 你可以将现有的应用程序发布到 Web 上,但并非所有桌面数据库功能都受 Web 支持,因此你可能必须调整你的应用程序的一些功能。
  • Avoid too many 的 in a sentence. If meaning is unaffected, omit 的.
  • Although some desktop database features do not translate to the Web, you can do many of the same things by using new features, such as calculated fields and data macros. -> 虽然一些桌面数据库功能没有转换到 Web 上,但可以通过使用新功能(例如计算字段和数据宏)来执行许多相同的操作。; avoid 虽然一些桌面数据库功能没有转换到 Web 上,但可以通过使用新的功能(例如计算字段和数据宏)来执行许多的相同的操作。

Articles

Do not add a word for every English article. Preserve distinctions such as a particular object, any eligible object or one item when the context requires them. Check whether a numeral, classifier or demonstrative is needed; Chinese does not use the English article system.

Conjunctions

  • Starting a sentence with a conjunction conveys an informal tone.
  • to: 至 -> 到. add to network: 添加至网络 -> 添加到网络. invite to this active: 邀请至此活动 -> 邀请参加此活动
  • if: 倘若/假使/假若 -> 假如/如果
  • Some conjunctions need a verb in Chinese to carry the real meaning.
  • Create modules from this template: 从这个模板创建模块 -> 根据这个模板创建模块

Contractions

  • Chinese has no contractions, but use the short, everyday form of particles, adverbs, conjunctions: 虽然严格来说中文并没有这种缩写词，但对于一些助词、副词、连词等，还是有日常生活中更常用的简短用词，我们在翻译中应该适当使用这种简洁、口语中较常用的说法
  • but, however: 但是/不过 -> 但
  • in conclusion: 总而言之 -> 总之

Font localization

Check the selected font’s script coverage, shaping, emphasis and legibility in the actual output. Do not change a font name, size or weight during translation unless the product specification calls for it. Preserve the user’s font choice and font specimens. Follow scripts and typography for rendering checks, and messages and variables for semantic markup.

Localizing colloquialism, idioms, and metaphors

  • Do not replace a source colloquialism with a zh-CN colloquialism unless it is a perfect and natural fit for that context.
  • Translate the intended meaning, not the literal colloquialism, and only if the meaning is an integral part of the text.
  • If the colloquialism can be omitted without affecting the meaning, omit it.
  • Acceptable zh-CN colloquialisms: 写手, 粉丝, 方便快捷, 量身打造.
  • Acceptable with specific context: 菜鸟 (gaming only, e.g. the first level of a game).
  • Unacceptable colloquialisms, idioms, network terms: 给力, 山寨, 亲, 神马, 偶, 童鞋, 酱紫.

Modifiers

  • Translate modifiers into another part of speech (verb, subjective complement, adverb) for readability.
  • Split forms for fast browsing of data -> 便于快速浏览数据的分割窗体, not 快速浏览数据的分割窗体
  • For more effective troubleshooting, use this error message. -> 为了更有效地进行疑难解答,请使用此错误消息。, not 为获得更有效率的疑难解答,请使用此错误消息。
  • In Chinese the modified element always follows the modifier, whatever its kind or length. Readers get lost when the modifier is too long.
  • Avoid literal word-for-word translation and run-on sentences with stacked modifiers.
  • When a string is a relative clause, do not just use a comma to separate the modified and the modifier.
  • Creating a new instance may allow an adversary to bypass firewall rules and permissions that exist on instances currently residing within an account. -> 创建新实例可以使攻击者绕过当前位于帐户内的实例上存在的防火墙规则和权限。, not 创建新实例可以使攻击者绕过防火墙规则和权限，是当前位于帐户内的实例上存在的。
  • Additionally, creating a new site page this way results in an unghosted page on your site, which you may not want for performance issues. -> 此外，采用此方法新建网站页面将在网站上生成非幻像页，因为性能问题你可能不希望生成非幻像页。, not 此外，新建网站页面这种方法导致在网站上生成非幻像页，你可能不希望生成非幻像页，因为性能问题。

Numbers

  • With measurement units, write the number as a numeral.
  • In a data format like MM-YY-DD, write numerals.
  • In an equation or function, write numerals.
  • Otherwise: numeral in source, numeral in target. Letter in source, usually a Chinese character in target.
  • In a numeral-classifier-noun phrase, the classifier comes between the numeral and the noun. Choose one that fits the noun; do not use 个 for every object.
  • 2 researchers -> 两位研究人员, not 2 个研究人员

Prepositions

  • Use prepositions properly. Do not omit them or change word order under English influence.
  • Starting or ending a sentence with a preposition is acceptable.
  • Microsoft Store for Business -> 适用于企业的 Microsoft Store. Here for is not translated as 针对.

Pronouns

  • Do not translate every pronoun. If the meaning is unaffected, omit pronouns.
  • If a pronoun is needed, use 你, not 您.
  • You can publish an existing application to the Web. Not all desktop database features are supported on the Web, so you may have to adjust some features of your application. -> 你可以将现有的应用程序发布到 Web 上,但并非所有桌面数据库功能都受 Web 支持,因此你可能必须调整应用程序的一些功能。

Punctuation

Use these marks for newly written Chinese prose. Exact interface labels and literal syntax keep their required punctuation; do not apply prose substitutions inside paths, code or tokens.

Function Prose mark Code points
Full stop 。 U+3002
Comma ， U+FF0C
Enumeration comma 、 U+3001
Colon ： U+FF1A
Semicolon ； U+FF1B
Question mark ？ U+FF1F
Exclamation mark ！ U+FF01
Parentheses （） U+FF08, U+FF09
Quotation “” U+201C, U+201D
Inner quotation ‘’ U+2018, U+2019
Book title 《》 U+300A, U+300B

Use paired U+2026 characters (……) for an omission in prose. Preserve the ellipsis of an actual interface label. Do not add dots to every progress message.

Chinese prose can use a two-em dash (——); it is not prohibited because it resembles a character. Keep a range distinct from subtraction: – is U+2013 EN DASH, while − is U+2212 MINUS SIGN. In a sentence, 至 can express a range without ambiguous punctuation. Literal mathematical or command syntax follows the format being documented.

Keep punctuation outside an identifier unless it belongs to that identifier. Character width does not tell you how many bytes its encoding uses. See scripts and typography for mixed-script layout and line-breaking checks.

Sentence fragments

  • Use sentence fragments where possible. They are short and to the point.
  • Use the following steps:: 请执行以下步骤: -> 步骤如下:
  • See the picture below:: 请参阅下面的图像: -> 如图所示:
  • If you want to continue, please click...: 如果希望继续进行,请单击... -> 如要继续，请单击...

Verbs

  • Use simple tenses. Prefer the simple present. Avoid the future tense unless the event really happens in the future. Use the simple past for events that already happened.
  • Translate an English gerund for a continuous operation with the pattern 正在...
  • Uploading… -> 正在上载… 中 is less fluent and can cause confusion.
  • Chapter titles beginning with Working with … or Using … are not continuous operations. Do not apply 正在...
  • Using Collaboration Features -> 使用协作功能

Localization considerations

  • The language must have the look and feel of a product originally written in Simplified Chinese: idiomatic syntax and terminology, high terminological consistency.

Applications, products, and features

Preserve approved product names, identifiers and version strings exactly. Do not add a decimal component to a version or translate a protected name. Use names and formats for shared rules.

Software considerations

Check the localized text in its actual interface using the localization review.

Error messages

Preserve state, count, negation and obligation when translating a message. Follow messages and variables for placeholder names, markup and permitted reordering; local grammar never authorizes a parser change.

  • Error messages tell the user of an error that must be corrected for the program to keep running. They can prompt action or state that a reboot is needed.
  • Make the target natural and empathetic, not robot-like.
  • The password isn't correct, so try again. Passwords are case-sensitive. -> 密码有误,请再试一次。密码需区分大小写。
  • Not enough memory to process this command. -> 内存不足,无法处理这个命令。
  • Use consistent terminology and language style. Do not just translate messages as they appear in the US product.
  • Standardize standard phrases. The US sometimes uses different forms for the same thing.
  • Cannot find …, Could not find …, Unable to find …, Unable to locate … -> 无法...
  • Cannot delete the file. -> 无法删除文件。
  • If another phrase is attached to this type of string, use 无法+Verb.
  • Not enough memory, Insufficient memory, There is not enough memory, There is not enough memory available -> 内存不足
  • There is not enough memory available to perform the operation. -> 内存不足,无法执行此操作。
  • ... is not available, ... is unavailable -> 无法使用...
  • Internet access is not available. -> 无法使用 Internet。
  • If the subject is a person, this may be 无法接通 or 没有空, depending on context.
  • For messages with placeholders, find out what replaces the placeholder so the sentence stays grammatical.
  • A measure word such as 位, 部, 本, 个 is needed if the placeholder means <number>.
  • %d users are online. -> %d 位用户在线。 Add measure words appropriate to the noun.
  • For a placeholder replaced by a localized string, leave or remove the space according to the string. If uncertain, remove the space.
  • Click the Finish button to exit the [Wizard]. -> 单击“完成”按钮以退出[Wizard]。

Keyboard shortcuts

  • Underlined or highlighted letters in menu options, commands, or dialog boxes are keyboard shortcuts.
  • Slim characters (I, l, t, r, f): allowed as keyboard shortcuts. Always convert the lowercase letter to uppercase. Exit -> 退出(&T)
  • Characters with downstrokes (g, j, y, p, q): allowed as keyboard shortcuts. Always convert the lowercase letter to uppercase. Replay -> 重播(&P)
  • Extended characters as keyboard shortcuts: n/a.
  • An additional letter in brackets after the item name: allowed.
  • A number in brackets after the item name: allowed.
  • A punctuation sign in brackets after the item name: allowed.
  • Duplicate keyboard shortcuts when no other character is available: not allowed.
  • No keyboard shortcut assigned when no more characters are available: minor options only.
  • Access key: a subtype of keyboard shortcut. A letter or number the user types to reach UI controls with text labels. Access keys are assigned to top-level controls so the user can move through the UI quickly with the keyboard. Example: F in Alt+F. In UI localization: H&ome. Most access keys are used with the Alt key.
  • Key tip: the letter or number that appears in the ribbon when Alt is pressed. In UI localization the key tip is the last character after the ` character. Example: Home`H
  • Shortcut key: a subtype of keyboard shortcut. A key the user types to perform a common action without going through the UI. Not available for every command. Examples: Ctrl+N, Ctrl+V. Most shortcut keys are used with the Ctrl key. Ctrl+letter combinations and function keys F1 through F12 are usually the best choices.
  • zh-CN convention: translated text(&Uppercase letter). No space between the translated text and ( ).
  • Exit -> 退出(&E), not 退出(E)
  • Print -> 打印(&I), not 打印(&i)
  • Replay -> 重播(&P), not 重播 (&P)
  • Condition 1 -> 条件 1(&1), not 条件 1(&C)
  • Put the keyboard shortcut before punctuation.
  • Search: -> 搜索(&S):, not 搜索:(&S)
  • About... -> 关于(&B)..., not 关于...(&B)
  • If a sentence is too long, adjust: &I agree that I have read and will be bound by the license agreements for this product. -> 我同意(&I)。我已阅读本产品的许可协议,并愿意遵守有关规定。 Put the hot key before the first full stop.
  • If a source string is only numbers, a single letter, or a punctuation mark, keep it as is.
  • 1 -> 1, not 1(&1)
  • 100% -> 100%, not 100%(&1)
  • 800 x 600 -> 800 x 600, not 800 x 600(&8)
  • S -> S, not S(&S)
  • ... -> ..., not …(&.)

Keys

  • The keyboard is the primary input device for text input. Most actions can also be done with the keyboard.
  • Key names, function keys, numeric keys appear in normal text, not small caps. If a key name need not be translated, leave it as is.
  • Alt -> Alt
  • Backspace -> Backspace
  • Break -> Break
  • Caps Lock -> Caps Lock
  • Ctrl -> Control
  • Delete -> Delete
  • Down Arrow -> 向下键
  • End -> End
  • Enter -> Enter
  • Esc -> Esc
  • Home -> Home
  • Insert -> Insert
  • Left Arrow -> 向左键
  • Num Lock -> Num Lock
  • Page Down -> Page Down
  • Page Up -> Page Up
  • Pause -> Pause
  • Right Arrow -> 向右键
  • Scroll Lock -> Scroll Lock
  • Shift -> Shift
  • Spacebar -> 空格键
  • Tab -> Tab
  • Up Arrow -> 向上键
  • Windows key -> Windows 键
  • Print Screen -> Print Screen
  • menu -> 菜单键
  • Do not add 键 or 组合键.
  • Press Ctrl -> 按 Ctrl
  • Press Ctrl+Alt+Del -> 按 Ctrl+Alt+Del

English pronunciation

  • Pronounce unlocalized English terms and product names the English way.
  • If the language has an established pronunciation for a common term (such as server), use the local pronunciation.
  • Pronunciation can be adapted to the zh-CN phonetic system if the original sounds very awkward.
  • SecurID: [sı'kjuər aı di:], 按英文读
  • .NET: [dot net], . reads as dot
  • Skype: [skaɪp]. Product names are always pronounced as in the source language.
  • Acronyms are pronounced like real words, adapted to the local pronunciation.
  • Use only approved acronyms and abbreviations.
  • Do not use abbreviated forms of fictitious names that appear elsewhere in full form.
  • RADIUS: [reɪdɪəs], 按英文读
  • RAS: [ra:s], 如上
  • ISA: 爱撒, 如上
  • LAN: 兰, 如上
  • WAN: 万, 如上
  • WAP: 外普, 如上
  • MAPI: 麦僻, 如上
  • POP: 泡普, 如上
  • URL: URL, 如上
  • Other abbreviations are pronounced letter by letter.
  • ICMP: ICMP
  • IP: IP
  • TCP/IP: TCP/IP, / 读成斜线
  • XML: XML
  • HTML: HTML
  • SQL: SQL
  • URLs: leave out http:// and read the rest of the URL entirely.
  • Pronounce www as 3 w.
  • Omit the dot, or read it out the zh-CN way as 点.
  • http://www.microsoft.com: 3 w 点 Microsoft 点 com, 英文词直接按英文方式读
  • Most punctuation marks are implied by the sound of voice: ? ! : ; ,
  • Pronounce the en dash – as a comma, a short pause.
  • Pronounce special characters / \ ˘ < > + - with the approved zh-CN translations. / \ + - can be read with their Chinese names.

Tone

  • Match the tone to the target audience: informal, playful, inspiring for consumer products and games; formal, informative, factual for technical texts.
  • zh-CN tone: semi-formal and friendly.
  • Avoid expressions such as 不…就不…, 不是不…
  • Never talk down to users. Write as if helping a friend get started.

Local usage

Use simplified Chinese punctuation and do not insert spaces between Chinese text and its punctuation. Localize screenshots and link labels when appropriate, while preserving template identifiers and destinations.