I was surprised to find ChatGPT does a better job of translating than Google translate, at least for one difficult task I needed to get done.
I have been a Google Translate user for more than a decade. I use it a dozen or more times a day for multiple languages. It is a very useful tool.
I recently had to translate a passage that included this phrase: 六六大顺
Google Translate gave me: Liuliu Dashun (basically no translation, just a transliteration or romanization)
Bing Translator: Six Six Dashun (a little bit better because 六 does mean six in some contexts.
Baidu: Liu Liu (basically no translation)
Naver: Six or Six Dashun (partial translation, plus added an incorrect particle)
Only ChatGPT gave the correct answer: "Everything going smoothly"
There is a cultural context that is essential to the translation, which apparently only ChatGPT has. It turns out that the number 6 is a lucky number in Chinese. It has the meaning of being “auspicious”. In Chinese culture, there is an idiom called “六六大顺 (liù liù dà shùn)”, which means “Everything comes in a smooth way” or more naturally "Everything going smoothly".
BTW, after seeing the ChatGTP results, I found this contextual info using Google search, in a website http://www.ichineselearning.com
It is ironic that Google search "knows" (helps you find) the cultural context but Google Translate apparently does not leverage this info.
I have been a Google Translate user for more than a decade. I use it a dozen or more times a day for multiple languages. It is a very useful tool.
I recently had to translate a passage that included this phrase: 六六大顺
Google Translate gave me: Liuliu Dashun (basically no translation, just a transliteration or romanization)
Bing Translator: Six Six Dashun (a little bit better because 六 does mean six in some contexts.
Baidu: Liu Liu (basically no translation)
Naver: Six or Six Dashun (partial translation, plus added an incorrect particle)
Only ChatGPT gave the correct answer: "Everything going smoothly"
There is a cultural context that is essential to the translation, which apparently only ChatGPT has. It turns out that the number 6 is a lucky number in Chinese. It has the meaning of being “auspicious”. In Chinese culture, there is an idiom called “六六大顺 (liù liù dà shùn)”, which means “Everything comes in a smooth way” or more naturally "Everything going smoothly".
BTW, after seeing the ChatGTP results, I found this contextual info using Google search, in a website http://www.ichineselearning.com
It is ironic that Google search "knows" (helps you find) the cultural context but Google Translate apparently does not leverage this info.