The following content is translated from Chinese source by machine translation without post-editing.
Translating Japanese into Chinese is one of the common challenges in translation work, especially due to differences in language structure, cultural background, and grammar, which make the translation process full of complexity. In Japanese translation, there are many difficulties that Chinese translators often encounter during the translation process, especially in terms of grammar differences, vocabulary selection, honorifics, and oral expression. This article will explore these translation difficulties in detail and provide corresponding solutions.
1、 Differences in Japanese Grammar
The grammatical differences between Japanese and Chinese are one of the common difficulties in translation. The sentence structure in Japanese is usually in the order of “subject+object+predicate”, while in Chinese it is more flexible, especially in spoken language, where the position of the predicate verb can change according to the context. In addition, Japanese uses particles to indicate grammatical relationships, while Chinese uses word order and function words (such as “de”, “lai”, etc.) to indicate grammatical relationships. Solution: When translating, the first step is to break down Japanese sentences, understand the grammatical functions of each part, and then make reasonable adjustments according to the grammar rules of Chinese. For example, in Japanese, “が” or “は” are usually used as subject markers, and when translating, the subject can be inferred from the context and the sentence structure can be adjusted. In addition, common inverted sentences or sentences with omitted subjects in Japanese need to be supplemented or rewritten according to Chinese habits.
2、 Difficulties in vocabulary selection
Some Japanese vocabulary does not have direct corresponding words in Chinese, which makes vocabulary selection a major difficulty in translation. For example, the Japanese word “おরれ様” does not have a completely equivalent word in Chinese. Although it can be translated as’ hard work ‘or’ you’ve worked hard ‘, the context and expression of the two are not completely consistent. Solution: When encountering vocabulary that does not directly correspond, translators need to make appropriate adjustments based on the context. For example, for expressions such as’ exhausted ‘, different translation methods can be chosen based on the formality of the context. In addition, for some vocabulary with cultural characteristics, explanatory translation can be chosen, or additional sentences with explanations can be used to make the target language readers understand.
3、 Translation of honorific and humble language
Respect and modesty are important language features in Japanese, while there are no similar expressions in Chinese. Therefore, how to translate honorific and humble expressions in Japanese into Chinese is a major difficulty in translation. In Japanese, honorifics are not only reflected in verb changes, but also in specific vocabulary and sentence structures such as “ございます” and “おっしいる”, which require special attention. Solution: When translating honorifics in Japanese, translators need to consider the expression habits and cultural background of Chinese. In formal occasions, one can choose to use honorific expressions such as “you”, “gui”, etc; In more colloquial environments, honorific expressions can be appropriately omitted. In addition, some honorifics in Japanese can be conveyed through changes in tone, such as “おっし동る” which can be translated as “say” and convey respect through context.
4、 Omission phenomenon in Japanese
In Japanese, some sentence components are often omitted, especially in spoken language. For example, in Japanese, the subject of “きまか?” is often omitted, and “きまか?” can be translated as “go?”, but the omitted part often needs to be clarified in Chinese. This omission phenomenon requires translators to infer the omitted parts based on the context. Solution: When translating, it is necessary to supplement the omitted parts based on the context and context. For example, in Japanese, the subject of “きまか?” is omitted in spoken language, but when translated into Chinese, subjects such as “you” or “we” should be added according to the situation to ensure sentence integrity and clarity of expression.
5、 The Influence of Cultural Differences on Translation
The cultural backgrounds of Japanese and Chinese are different, which makes it difficult for certain expressions or habits to be directly equivalent in translation. Especially when it comes to customs, traditions, and social etiquette, translation may require cultural adjustments. For example, in Japanese, “いただきます” and “ごちそうさました” do not have completely equivalent expressions in Chinese, so cultural differences need to be taken into account when translating. Solution: In this situation, translators need to have a certain level of cross-cultural awareness. For culture specific expressions, cultural adaptation translation can be used, or additional explanatory translation can be provided to help target language readers understand. For example, “いただ〚す” can be translated as “I’ve started eating”, while “っちそうした” can be translated as “Thank you for your hospitality” with appropriate annotations or explanations.
6、 Mood particles and adverbs in Japanese
There are many mood words and adverbs in Japanese used to express the speaker’s emotions, attitudes, or tone. These modal particles and adverbs often do not have direct equivalent expressions in Chinese. For example, in Japanese, particles such as “ね”, “よ”, and “かな” do not have exactly the same particles in Chinese. Solution: When translating, you can use the corresponding tone words in Chinese according to the needs of the context. For example, “ね” can be translated as “ba” or “right”, and “よ” can be translated as “oh” or “ah”. Choosing appropriate tone words based on the context can preserve the tone of the original text while making the translation more natural.
7、 Handling of Long and Compound Sentences
The common long and compound sentence structures in Japanese sometimes pose a challenge for translators in how to break down sentences. In Japanese, compound sentences connect various sentence components through particles and conjunctions, while in Chinese, long sentences often require adjusting sentence structures to express themselves clearly. Solution: For complex Japanese long or compound sentences, translators can break them down according to their meaning and simplify them into several shorter sentences to conform to Chinese expression habits. In addition, attention should be paid to the relationships between the components of each sentence to avoid problems of unclear logic or inaccurate expression in translation.
8、 Summary
Translating Japanese into Chinese is a challenging process that involves various difficulties such as grammar differences, vocabulary selection, honorifics, and oral expression. Through in-depth analysis of these translation difficulties, it can be found that there are solutions behind each difficulty. Translators need to have a solid language foundation, flexible use of language skills, and cross-cultural sensitivity in order to better complete the translation work from Japanese to Chinese. In the process of Japanese translation, solving these difficulties can not only improve the accuracy and fluency of translation, but also promote mutual understanding and communication between the two languages and cultures.
Post time: Apr-24-2025