Rather, it's the dodgy DIY of translation – the duct tape around your windows, your upturned cardboard box coffee table, or other potentially embarassing quick fixes.Ī braver student of Chinese may try to pick a Chinese name from scratch, but must first side step a myriad of pitfalls. The chart has video explanations for difficult sounds and audio demonstrations for every Mandarin sound.ĭespite its popularity, transliteration is not the Messiah that it appears to be.
#Chinese transliteration free#
Tip: Have Yoyo Chinese's free video-based pinyin chart open and ready to make sure your pinyin pronunciation is correct.
Although these names are as phonetically accurate as it can be, they sound neither like the originals nor like authentic Chinese names. Chinese can only represent syllables as concrete blocks of sound and not as fluid combinations of letters.Īs a result, common names like Jack and Thomas are translated as 杰克 (jié kè) and 托马斯 (tuō mǎ sī) respectively. The problem with transliteration lies in fundamental differences between the Chinese language and others. The most popular form of translation for foreign names is 'transliteration' or 'transcription', the phonetic representation of foreign sounds with Chinese characters. This is, unfortunately, almost completely untrue. Some will tell you that a foreign name can be translated into Chinese using a variety of effective methods. Below, I've shared some of my thoughts and experiences for picking your own Chinese name. There are a few ways to choose a good one, and a ton of ways to choose a bad one. It's not a bad idea to choose a Chinese name if you'll be staying in China for a while, or if you'll be learning Chinese. Not only is the tattoo a constant reminder of that impulsive Valentine's Day in 2007, chances are her name has also been horribly translated by a tattoo artist with a basic edition of Pleco on his iPhone.ĭon't get me wrong, I'm a strong advocate of regrettable tattoos, in fact, I have several.Ī poorly translated Chinese name on the other hand? That's something I couldn't live down.
#Chinese transliteration manual#
The online version of the Chicago Manual of Style includes Sections 11.102-11.110 on Chinese and Japanese languages.In the vast ocean of regrettable tattoos, an ex-girlfriend's name in Chinese characters is perhaps as regrettable as it gets.
“Qingdai yilai Sanxia diqu shuihan zaihai de chubu yanjiu” 清代以來三峽地區水旱災害的初步硏究.
#Chinese transliteration how to#
Hong Kong: Xianggang Zhongwen daxue chubanshe, 2015.įor more information on MLA Citation and how to order entries in non-Roman scripts, see this FAQ entry from the MLA Style Center.Ĭhicago-style citation is most commonly used in history papers. These three elements should be included in this order: original characters, then transliteration (if included), then translation.Ĭitation: Xue, Yu. 中國佛教的社會主義改造 Zhongguo fojiao de shehuizhuyi gaizao . A transliteration of the Chinese characters in works geared to non-specialists (optional).An English translation of the title in brackets and.For citations in non-Roman scripts, MLA recommends you include: MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. Hong Kong: Xianggang Zhongwen daxue chubanshe. Provide an English translation of the title in brackets.Ĭitation: Xue, Y.
APA does not specify the Romanization style, but pinyin is recommended.
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