Translating LaTeX Source Files into Chinese

If you have a LaTeX project, such as a thesis, a conference paper or a technical report, and you need a Chinese version, translating the text is only half the job. LaTeX is a markup language, so the source file mixes sentences you want translated with commands, labels, citation keys and equations that must not change. A plain copy-and-paste into a translation tool usually breaks the build or corrupts the structure.

This guide is for writers, students and researchers who already have a working .tex project and want a Chinese version that compiles into a clean PDF. It covers the two parts that are different from translating into Latin-script languages: getting Chinese characters to render through a CJK font, and handling line breaks, since Chinese text does not use spaces between words.

How do you handle a LaTeX Chinese translation? The short answer

Translate only the prose, leave every command, label and formula untouched, and compile the result with XeLaTeX (or LuaLaTeX) plus a CJK font setup. A Latin-only engine will not render Chinese characters, so the font and engine choice matters as much as the translation itself.

Your situation	What to do	Why
A paper with many equations and cross-references	Keep all math and `\ref` or `\cite` keys unchanged; translate only the sentences between them	Changing a label or math mode breaks the build or the numbering
A document that already compiles with pdfLaTeX	Switch the engine to XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX before adding Chinese	pdfLaTeX has no native support for Chinese glyphs in the usual setup
A thesis template from a journal or university	Add the CJK support in the preamble and keep the template's layout commands	The template controls margins, headings and bibliography style
You need both the original and the Chinese version	Use the bilingual output option, then compile and check that file	Side-by-side text lets you compare each sentence with its source
Your text is legal, medical or technical	Pick the matching style option and review terms yourself	Domain terms are where machine translation most often needs correction

Before you start

Gather these items first, because the translation result depends on them.

A complete source package. Include every .tex file, the .bib bibliography, figures and any custom .sty or .cls files. The translation needs the full project to keep references and includes working.
A successful compile of the original. If the English version does not build now, the Chinese version will not build either. Fix that first so you know which errors came from the translation.
A TeX installation that includes XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX. Most standard TeX distributions include both. Confirm the engine name works in your terminal or editor before you start.
A CJK font on your computer. Serif or sans-serif families such as Noto CJK or Source Han fonts are common choices. The font has to be installed, or the compile will fail when it looks for it.
A list of terms that must stay in English. Method names, software names, variable names and acronyms often should not be translated. Writing them down lets you check them after translation.

Translating the whole LaTeX project in OmniDoc, step by step

OmniDoc accepts LaTeX source packages for document translation. The steps below cover the upload-and-translate part and the Chinese-specific work that follows.

Package the project as a source archive. Zip the main .tex file together with the other .tex, .bib, image and style files. Keeping the folder structure intact lets the translated files still point to the right figures and includes.
Upload the package on omnidoc.top. Open the document translation feature and upload the archive. The web version handles LaTeX source packages alongside other formats.
Set Chinese as the target language. Choose Chinese as the output language. The source language should match your original text.
Choose the output type. Bilingual side-by-side output is useful for proofreading, because each English paragraph sits next to its Chinese version. Translation-only output is better when you plan to compile a single Chinese file and no longer need the English text in it.
Pick a style that fits the text. Options include academic, legal, medical, technical, business and literary. For a paper, choose academic. Term consistency settings help keep repeated terms, such as a method name, translated the same way throughout.
Download the translated package and unzip it. Keep the translated files in the same folder layout as the original so the relative paths still work.
Add Chinese support to the preamble. Load a Chinese-capable setup, such as the ctex document class or the xeCJK package with fontspec, and set a CJK font that is installed on your machine. If the translated preamble already includes this, confirm it, but do not assume it does.
Compile with XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX. Run the engine on the main file and run it again so references and the table of contents settle. Fix any missing-font or missing-package errors before reviewing the text.

If you prefer to edit the translated source directly, you can open the project in the UniDoc web editor at app.unidoc.top, which supports a LaTeX round trip. Keep a copy of the translated folder before you change anything.

Chinese-specific layout issues to fix

These problems come from the language itself, not from the translation quality.

Missing glyphs. If a character appears as a box or a question mark, the selected font does not contain it. Choose a CJK font that covers simplified or traditional characters as needed.
Line breaks inside words. Chinese has no spaces, so LaTeX must break lines between characters. The xeCJK and ctex setups handle this, but a Latin-only preamble will not.
Spacing around punctuation. Chinese full-width punctuation sometimes creates awkward gaps when it sits next to Latin words or inline math. Check every line that mixes Chinese text with English terms or formulas.
Mixed English terms. Keep spaces between Chinese text and Latin words or numbers, for example "使用 Transformer 模型". Without them, the line can look cramped.
Captions and headings. Long Chinese headings may wrap oddly in narrow template columns. Shorten them slightly if the layout breaks.

Check the result

Review the compiled PDF against the original, page by page, before sending it anywhere. Machine translation can produce fluent but incorrect sentences, so check important claims, numbers and terms yourself.

Check	How to see it	If it's wrong
The project compiles	Run XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX twice with no errors in the log	Read the first error in the log; missing fonts or packages are the usual cause
Chinese characters render	Look at several Chinese pages in the PDF for boxes or missing marks	Install the CJK font or change the font name in the preamble
Math and numbering match	Compare equation numbers, `\ref` links and the table of contents with the original	Restore the original label or math text in the source
Citations resolve	Check that in-text citations show numbers or names, not question marks	Confirm the `.bib` file is included and the citation keys were not translated
Line endings and punctuation	Scan line ends and spaces around Chinese punctuation	Adjust spacing in the affected paragraph or add a space between Chinese and Latin text
Terms are consistent	Search the PDF for key terms and confirm they match your glossary	Replace inconsistent terms in the source and recompile

❓ FAQ

1. Can I translate a LaTeX file into Chinese without changing the commands?

Yes, if you translate only the prose and leave commands, labels, citation keys and math untouched. Most problems come from translating inside commands or changing \label names.

2. Why does my Chinese text show as boxes when I compile?

The font you selected does not contain the Chinese characters, or the engine cannot load them. Use XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX and set an installed CJK font in the preamble.

3. Do I need pdfLaTeX for Chinese?

No, and it is usually the wrong choice for Chinese text. XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX handle Unicode and CJK fonts more directly.

4. Should I use bilingual or translation-only output?

Use bilingual output while you proofread, since the English and Chinese paragraphs sit together. Switch to translation-only for the final compile if you do not need the original text in the file.

5. Is the machine translation accurate enough for a thesis?

Treat it as a draft. Check every technical term, number and claim against your original, and have a fluent Chinese speaker in your field review the text before submission.

📝 Summary

Translating a LaTeX project into Chinese works well when you change only the prose, keep the commands intact, and compile with XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX using an installed CJK font. Check line breaks, punctuation and terms in the compiled PDF before you rely on the Chinese version. A careful latex chinese translation takes a few compile-and-review cycles, but the result stays faithful to your original structure.

Open OmniDoc to edit, convert or translate your LaTeX documents