CULTURAL SENSITIVITY IN AI TRANSLATION OF CHINESE LANGUAGE: EVALUATING AI’S CAPABILITY TO GRASP CULTURALLY RICH TEXTS
CULTURAL SENSITIVITY IN AI TRANSLATION OF CHINESE LANGUAGE: EVALUATING AI’S CAPABILITY TO GRASP CULTURALLY RICH TEXTS

Summary/Abstract: Cultural Sensitivity in AI Translation of Chinese Language: Evaluating AI’s Capability to Grasp Culturally Rich Texts. The widespread adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in translation has fundamentally reshaped global communication by enhancing efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and accessibility. Despite these advancements, critical questions persist about AI’s capacity to navigate the inherent complexities of language, particularly regarding cultural sensitivity and contextual accuracy. These challenges are especially pronounced in Chinese, a language abundant in idiomatic phrases, literary allusions, and culturally embedded references, where mistranslations risk significant misunderstanding. This study examines the capabilities of leading AI translation tools in rendering culturally rich Chinese texts into Romanian and English. Drawing on a curated corpus of classical literature, contemporary literature and news articles, the research evaluates each tool’s performance in terms of accuracy, cultural sensitivity, contextual understanding, emotional tone, and overall fluency. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses reveal considerable variation among popular platforms. While high fluency and coherence are attainable, some persistent gaps remain in the handling of idiomatic expressions and nuanced cultural elements. These findings reaffirm the need for expert post-editing and a judicious, human-centered integration of AI into translation workflows.

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