It’s a great idea to have one side of your business card written in English and the other side translated into Chinese, especially if you spend a lot of time meeting with Chinese contemporaries. If there is a complete language barrier with neither of you understanding the other then handing over your Chinese business card for them to read can relieve a lot of awkwardness and also explain a lot; now they know just who you are, what you do and why you have introduced yourself! You may not be able to say anything more, but they have got a good impression of your eagerness, confidence and organizational skills so you can then simply smile and turn away.
There are many companies who offer English to Chinese translation for printing business cards so that you needn’t try and do the translating yourself, but it is always important to read reviews or get a referral from a trustworthy friend as something like a cringe-worthy error in translation can put potential clients, customers and colleagues off.
Handing a client your business card when it’s been translated into Chinese shows that you are a thoughtful, well organized and shrewd businessperson and it’s a simple way to get ahead in your field. So remember to use a legitimate translation or printing company, always remember to turn the card over to show the recipient that it has been translated and stock up for the future.
Chinese Business Cards
For those of us who work in the Western world, yet have a business which is inextricably linked to one in China, having a good method of translation or even a basic grasp of the Chinese language is key. After all, if something is misunderstood then problems between companies can escalate, deadlines aren’t met and tensions form. This is why translation begins even at the most fundamental level and more importantly, upon the very first meeting between colleagues. We are of course talking about Chinese business cards.
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