Working From a China Virtual Office? 3 Translation Apps to Help Overcome Barriers

Moving to a new country isn't always an easy task, especially when there is a language barrier. Often, however, it is just the decision you need to make in order to further advance your career, your business, or your personal development. Working in China can quickly provide opportunities to develop all three aspects, especially if you are able to work from a virtual office. If you're planning a move to work from a China virtual office, consider these three mobile phone apps that will make the process that much easier.

Android by Green Life: Chinese Translator/Dictionary

If you're an Android user, you're in luck. Download the free Chinese Translator/Dictionary app, developed by GreenLife Apps, in Google Play and have a built-in translator and dictionary for English to Chinese and vice-versa. This app requires an active Internet connection, and gives you a “word of the day” so you can slowly build your Chinese vocabulary. This app also stores your translation history so that you can keep records of the words you've learned, and utilizes voice recognition for both the English and Chinese languages.

Point and Understand: iOS CamDictionary

Once you arrive in China, you'll be surrounded by symbols you can't even begin to comprehend. Whether you're sitting down in a restaurant for a meal or out shopping for a new pair of shoes, CamDictionary is an iPhone app that allows you to translate written Chinese symbols by using your iPhone camera. Simply point your iPhone at a Chinese symbol and watch it magically translate to English. The app comes with the option to translate between 54 languages, and Chinese to English is said to be one of the most efficient. Users can download a free trial of the app, which offers a limited number of translations, or they can opt to download the full, unlimited version for a reasonable cost of $4.99.

Waygo 3.0: Point, Understand, and Learn

Waygo is an iOS app that works on the same basis as CamDictionary, using the iPhone camera to translate Chinese symbols to English. The latest version 3.0 overhaul, however, has integrated another system that actually teaches the user how to read Chinese symbols. By using the pinyin of the Chinese character in conjunction with the English translation, users can actually make long-term progress in learning the Chinese language while overcoming short-term language barriers. Though Waygo also has a free trial with a limited number of translations, its latest and unlimited version 3.0 costs $6.99 in the app store. Although this might be considered a little expensive, the reviews suggest it's certainly worth the price. Having the benefit of technology at your fingertips is an advantage we are beginning to utilize more and more each day. Especially when traveling, translation apps have come to serve a very valuable role in the communication we must make on a daily basis. With these apps, you can bring down language barriers and integrate more efficiently into the Chinese culture of your new virtual office. For more information on our virtual offices in China, visit us at http://www.yourcityoffice.com.