Frequently Asked Questions for Translators

How much should I charge for translation?

We can’t tell you what to ask for, but we can give you some information which will help you negotiate with your publisher (and, we hope, avoid some of the pitfalls).

How the sums are worked out

Ensure you know whether the price you are being offered is per Chinese character or per English word. Best to ensure they write Chinese [character] or English [word] in the contract, as character/word is a concept foreign to some non-Chinese speakers. As a general rule, UK publishers will quote you a rate per 1,000 English words, but we understand that translators based in China are usually quoted a RMB-per-Chinese-character rate. If you are quoted a per-English-word rate, you will not know exactly much you're earning until the translation is complete, as different styles of writing produce different word length in English.

Translators’ organisations guidelines

For translators/publishers based in the UK: the recommended translation rate posted on the British Translators' Association webpage is 85 pounds per thousand English words.

NB – this is an across-languages recommendation. Arguably translators from Chinese to English should get more than the average. Neither does this figure differentiate between types of text.

It may technically be illegal in the United States to state a recommended fee for translation, so we're not going to. That said, the following are some guidelines we're worked out through experience.

Literary Translation

Short story or sample translation (for in-house use by publishers or agents): 1 RMB/Chinese character Full novel: 8 mao to 1 RMB/Chinese character

Essay, Criticism And Reportage

1-1.5 RMB/Chinese character, depending on the difficulty level. Maybe more if it's for an overseas publication.

Film

Subtitle translation: 1.5 RMB/Chinese character
Synopsis translation: 1 RMB/Chinese character
Script translation: 1 RMB/Chinese character

This takes into account a volume discount for Chinese scripts - which can range between 20,000-60,000 characters - but also factors in script formatting, which is a headache and requires more time. Most directors aren't willing to pay this rate, but we think it's a very fair one.

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