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I have an iOS app. I want to do localization of the app in Chinese language. But, in language settings, there are two options Simplified and Tradition. I' m not able to figure out which is the best one.

Please any one could tell me, which language, shall i use for Localization of my App ?

Thanks in Advance.

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  • Both are the same language, just different scripts. Dec 6, 2013 at 4:26

3 Answers 3

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Simplified Chinese is used throughout mainland China, though pretty much everyone can read the Traditional also. Traditional Chinese tends to still be used in places like Malaysia, Singapore, etc.

If you're marketing to mainland China then you probably want Simplified.

Alternatively, do both.

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  • oh we have to use both.
    – ChenSmile
    Dec 5, 2013 at 5:15
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    Traditional Chinese tends to still be used in places like Malaysia, Singapore This is not exactly correct. See Wikipedia. Officially Singapore uses simplified Chinese, and Malaysia doesn't have specific preference. Anyway, supporting both is a good idea, and it's simple, @Immi you just need to do an automatic conversion in some software like MS word :)
    – Stan
    Dec 5, 2013 at 5:56
  • @Stan Google translator is good for translating english to chinese..or u suggest me from where can i get correct translated chinese words...
    – ChenSmile
    Dec 5, 2013 at 5:58
  • @Stan I say tend to still be used because I believe that's true, according to my experience. In movie theatres subtitles are in Traditional, not Simplified, in Malaysia and Singapore. Also, restaurant signs and menus have Traditional and English, but not Simplified.
    – Ming
    Dec 5, 2013 at 6:00
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    'Pretty much everyone can read the Traditional also' I am not sure about that. Many of my classmates are unable to read Traditional Chinese fluently. For them, the text is understood through contextual deduction, it's definitely not on the same proficiency level as reading Simplified Chinese.
    – NS.X.
    Dec 5, 2013 at 22:22
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Traditional characters are standard in Taiwan.

Taiwan might be the biggest market for traditional characters, although they are certainly known in many other areas, such as Hong Kong.

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    They are not just 'known' in Hong Kong. Dec 6, 2013 at 4:27
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Simplified characters are used in mainland China, but in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau, traditional characters are much more likely to be used. In Hong Kong at least (possibly Taiwan and Macau as well), simplified characters are pretty rare in usage, though most people will be able to read them anyway.

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