Simplified to Traditional Chinese: characters vs vocabulary

Converting Chinese between Simplified and Traditional looks like a character swap, but good results depend on context and on the region your readers live in.

By 孤獨的時空旅人 · Updated 2026-09-30

Two levels of difference

Simplified Chinese (mainland China, Singapore) and Traditional Chinese (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau) differ first in characters: 网 → 網, 软 → 軟. But everyday vocabulary also differs: “software” is 软件 in the mainland and 軟體 in Taiwan; “network” is 网络 versus 網路.

One Simplified character, several Traditional ones

Some Simplified characters stand for more than one Traditional character, and only the context tells which is right. 发 is 髮 in 头发 (hair) but 發 in 发展 (development); 干 can be 乾 (dry), 幹 (to do) or 干 (to concern); 后 is 后 in 皇后 (empress) but 後 in 后面 (behind). The converter uses OpenCC's phrase dictionaries, which handle these common cases: 头发和发展 becomes 頭髮和發展, and 干净的干部在干活 becomes 乾淨的幹部在幹活.

Characters only, or Taiwan phrases?

“Simplified → Traditional” changes characters but keeps mainland vocabulary: 打印机的内存不足 becomes 打印機的內存不足. “Simplified → Traditional (Taiwan phrases)” also swaps common terms: the same sentence becomes 印表機的記憶體不足, and 鼠标点击这个视频 becomes 滑鼠點選這個影片, 出租车 becomes 計程車 and 信息 becomes 資訊. Use the Taiwan option for readers in Taiwan, and the characters-only option for Hong Kong or when the text must stay close to the original.

What a converter cannot know

Dictionaries cover common phrases, not every word or style choice. Some terms are left as they are — for example 质量 becomes 質量, while Taiwanese writers often say 品質 — and names, slogans and technical terms need a human check. Taiwan phrases also use the standard form 臺灣; change it to 台灣 if you prefer.

A quick proofreading checklist

Read headings and product names first; search for words that differ by region (software, network, video, program, quality, information); check people's and brand names; and keep the original file until the converted version has been reviewed.

Tools used in this guide

Chinese ConverterSimplified ⇄ Traditional ChineseFull/Half-widthConvert full-width and half-width textWord CounterCount characters, words and linesCase ConverterUPPER, lower, Title, camelCase, snake_case

Frequently asked questions

Which option should I use for Taiwan?

Simplified → Traditional (Taiwan phrases). It changes both characters and common vocabulary.

Can it convert Traditional back to Simplified?

Yes. Choose Traditional → Simplified; Taiwan terms such as 軟體與網路 become 软体与网路, so check vocabulary for mainland readers.

Is it accurate enough for publishing?

It handles most everyday text well, but always proofread titles, names and technical terms before publishing.

Is my text sent anywhere?

No. The dictionaries load into your browser and the conversion happens on your device.

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