中文 · Text, voice and object scanner · Offline
The offline Chinese translator for text and real things.
AI Translate is an offline Chinese translator for typed and pasted text, with voice input and an object scanner that shows everyday words in Chinese with pinyin. Once the Chinese pack is downloaded, translation runs on your phone, which helps in mainland China where many online tools are blocked or need a VPN. In the current version the camera does not read Chinese characters.
Free with your language pair · Premium from $1.99/month
Quick facts about the Chinese translator
- Script
- Chinese characters (hanzi)
- Camera translation
- Not in the current version (the camera reads Latin-script text). Use text, voice or Scan.
- Works offline
- Yes, after a one-time pack download. Voice input depends on your phone.
- Object scanner
- Yes, names 1,000+ objects in Chinese and English
- Pronunciation
- Audio. The Scan tab adds pinyin.
- Account required
- No
What you can translate
Where a Chinese translator earns its place on your home screen.
Taxis, shops and hotels
Type or say what you need in English, then show the Chinese on screen or play it aloud for the driver or the front desk.
Replies and WeChat messages
Tap swap, then let the other person type or speak their reply. You can also paste Chinese from WeChat, a hotel email or a booking page.
Words with pinyin
Point the Scan tab at everyday objects to see the Chinese word with pinyin and tone marks, hear it spoken, and save it.
Common Chinese phrases
What you will actually see on signs and menus.
A handful of phrases worth knowing before you go. The romanized reading in italics shows how to say each one.
| Chinese | English | Seen on |
|---|---|---|
| 出口chūkǒu | Exit | sign |
| 请勿吸烟qǐng wù xīyān | No smoking | sign |
| 宫保鸡丁gōngbǎo jīdīng | Kung Pao chicken | menu |
| 营业时间yíngyè shíjiān | Opening hours | shop door |
| 多少钱？duōshao qián? | How much is it? | market |
How to
How to translate Chinese text offline
- 01
Download the Chinese pack
Open Settings, then Offline languages, and tap the download icon next to Chinese. It is about 30 MB and only needs to be done once.
- 02
Type, paste or speak
Open the Translate tab and type or paste Chinese text, and the language is detected automatically. To use your voice, tap the microphone and speak in the selected language.
- 03
Listen, copy or scan
Tap the speaker to hear the translation, or copy and share it. On the Scan tab, point at an object to see its name in both languages and save the word.
FAQ
Chinese translator questions.
Does it translate into Simplified or Traditional Chinese?
Chinese output is Simplified, and there is no Traditional output option. The camera does not read Chinese in the current version.
Does the Chinese translator work in China without a VPN?
Yes for typed text and the object scanner. Translation runs on your phone, so it does not matter whether Google or other services are reachable. Download the pack before you land. Voice input uses your phone's own speech recognition and may need a connection.
Does it show pinyin?
Yes, on the Scan tab. Scanned objects show pinyin with tone marks under the Chinese word, and you can tap the speaker to hear it.
Can it translate Chinese from a screenshot?
Not in the current version, because photo import reads Latin-script text only. If you can copy the Chinese, for example from a chat or a web page, paste it into the Translate tab instead.
Guides
Related translators
Keep a Chinese translator in your pocket.
Download the Chinese pack once to translate typed or pasted text and name everyday objects offline. No account, no ad trackers, photos never uploaded.