Transcribe long Mandarin Chinese recordings to text
Upload a Mandarin audio or video file of up to 6 hours and get the whole transcript in simplified Chinese characters, a timestamp at every paragraph, and an English translation underneath each one. Up to 15 minutes is free in full; on longer recordings the first part is free and the whole file is $5, paid once.
- Mandarin written in simplified characters when Chinese is the chosen language
- English brand names, product codes and terms kept in Latin letters
- English translation under every paragraph, chosen in advance
- Timestamps counted from the start of the file
- Up to 6 hours per recording for $5, 12 hours with Unlimited
Real output from a demo recording. Click a timestamp to see where it sits in the audio.
Simplified characters, and what is not offered
The language list has one Chinese entry, Chinese (Simplified). Choosing it tells the tool that the main language is Chinese in simplified characters, so Mandarin comes back in simplified characters, a speaker from Taiwan included. Traditional characters, pinyin and Zhuyin are not offered, neither for the transcript nor as a translation target.
Cantonese, Taiwanese Hokkien and Shanghainese are not in the list. This page is for Mandarin; a Cantonese recording may come back as standard written Chinese rather than written Cantonese, so judge the free first part before paying.
Meetings with English mixed in
Supplier calls, factory visits and business meetings often mix Mandarin with English product names, model numbers and terms. Those stay in Latin letters inside the Chinese text, and the English translation under each paragraph lets a colleague who does not read Chinese follow the whole meeting.
Subtitles from a Chinese video
A finished transcript also downloads as SRT or VTT. Chinese has no spaces between words, so long sentences are cut into subtitle lines at punctuation or at a fixed length; with English chosen, each subtitle shows the English line under the Chinese. Timings come from the paragraph timestamps and are close, not frame-exact.
Long Mandarin recordings people bring
- Business calls and negotiations with suppliers in China
- University lectures and online courses
- Interviews for research or a documentary
- Family recordings for relatives who read English better than Chinese
How the tool works, what it costs and how your files are handled is on the Long Audio & Video to Text page; prices for every tool are on the pricing page.
Last updated
Questions and answers
Can I get traditional characters?
Not at the moment. Mandarin is written in simplified characters, and simplified Chinese is the only Chinese translation target.
Does it work for Cantonese?
Cantonese is not in the language list, so results are less predictable. Leave the language on Auto-detect and look at the free first part before you pay.
Can I get the Chinese without English?
Yes. Set "Also translate" to none before you upload.
What does a long meeting cost?
$5 for one recording of up to 6 hours. A file of up to 15 minutes is free in full. Unlimited is $19 a week for recordings of up to 12 hours; cancel any time.