There are 2 types of Chinese written language: Simplified & Traditional. This should not be confused with the several forms of spoken Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese, Hakka, etc.). Simplified Chinese uses a character set 'simplified' from the traditional Chinese characters. It is used in Mainland China, Singapore, and most of South-East Asia. Traditional Chinese is used in Hong Kong and Taiwan, as well as on most written Chinese material in the Western world. Depending on the Chinese region you are targeting, we will advise you on the most appropriate format. Written Chinese can still be read vertically, but horizontal layout reading left to right is now standard. You might need both a Traditional and a Simplified Chinese translation of a particular text. Specificities of Chinese Translation Differences between Chinese and Western traditions and cultures are challenging at times, and impact on the work of translators. As an example, translating English names into Chinese can be difficult: often the approximate sounds of the English name are reproduced in Chinese. There are many Chinese character combinations possible, and therefore many different possible translations for most names. The translator will take care that the characters (sounds) chosen in Chinese have positive connotations and create an appropriate impression for the Chinese speaker. Chinese Typesetting Microsoft Office applications and web design programs can handle Chinese fonts (double byte characters), but most English graphic design programs cannot. Chinese translations are normally inserted in the design file as .eps files. In general, a Chinese translation takes up less space than the equivalent English text, as a result translating onto a website into Chinese allows more space for graphics or larger fonts.