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Computer-Aided Translation (CAT) tools broadly refer to all software that assists translators, including electronic dictionaries, search engines, and word processing software. In a narrower sense, it refers to computer tools specifically designed for translation tasks and their management, centered around translation memory technology, aimed at improving translation efficiency and optimizing the translation process. Unlike machine translation, its translation process is still human-led, with main functions including sentence segmentation, translation memory, terminology database, and quality assurance. Today’s CAT tools on the market are constantly expanding their functions, no longer limited to single CAT tools, but encompass a broader range of functionalities. Now, let’s take a look at some common CAT tools from both China and abroad.
Déjà Vu is a CAT tool released by Atril, suitable for Windows systems. It features a simple interface, easy installation, and low memory usage. All processes have software guidance, making it easy for beginners to get started. Common functions of Déjà Vu include translation memory, terminology database, dictionaries, corpus alignment and retrieval, quality assurance, compilation, scanning, automatic image-text collection, and dissemination.
memoQ is a CAT software developed by Hungarian company Kilgray, suitable for Windows systems, integrating functions such as a translation editor, translation memory, terminology database, and LiveDocs corpus.
OmegaT is a free and open-source CAT software written in Java, suitable for Windows, macOS, and Linux systems. Its functions include fuzzy matching, extended dissemination, handling multiple multi-file projects simultaneously, using multiple translation memories, user glossaries with morphological recognition, machine translation interfaces, and spell checking.
SDL Trados is currently the most popular CAT tool, suitable for Windows systems, providing a complete and unified translation environment for editing, reviewing, and managing translation projects and terminology. It can be used offline through desktop tools or online through the cloud, equipped with translation memory, terminology database, and machine translation functions, supporting the import of various file types.
Wordfast is a CAT software developed by the American company Wordfast, integrating segment segmentation and memory techniques. It is suitable for Windows, Linux, and macOS systems. Its features include terminology management, dictionary queries, machine translation, real-time QA, etc., but it is compact, easy to operate, and fast in speed.
MateCat is a free and open-source online CAT tool that supports importing 79 file formats. It has a simple interface and relatively simple functions, retaining only the main features of memory, terminology, and machine translation, making it very easy to use. Additionally, MateCat provides a public memory for reference during translation.
Memsource is suitable for Windows, Linux, and macOS systems, with main functions including translation memory, terminology database, quick search, integrated machine translation, and quality assurance. It has a web version, desktop version, and mobile version.
Smartcat is an online translation collaboration tool that integrates CAT and TMS tool systems into one platform, supporting multiple interface languages, including Chinese. The free version has comprehensive features, including machine translation, translation editor, translation memory, terminology database, quality checks, and translation work and client management sections.
Transmate is a CAT software developed by Chengdu Youyi Company, integrating translation memory, automatic formatting, online translation, low error checking, supporting Trados memory, supporting various file formats, and multiple languages. The standalone version is available for free.
Kuai Yi Dian is a powerful cloud translation assistant software that not only includes the traditional CAT software’s translation memory function, but also provides users with vocabulary assistance, reference assistance, input assistance, project management, and corpus management.
Xue Ren CAT is a CAT tool developed by Foshan Xue Ren Computer Co., Ltd., suitable for Windows systems, simple to use and fast. Its functions include real-time translation preview, online dictionary lookup, machine translation, online search, translation memory, terminology database, grammar rule customization, word frequency statistics, quality assurance, and original format export.
YiCAT is an online translation management platform developed by Shanghai Yizhe Information Technology Co., Ltd., aimed at providing users with faster and more efficient translation and localization solutions. Its functions include translation editor, translation memory, terminology database, machine translation, quality assurance, and task assignment and management in translation projects.
Yi Ma Wang, like Transmate, belongs to Chengdu Youyi Company. It is an online translation platform designed for different user needs, with personal, team, enterprise, university, and custom versions available. Its main functions include machine translation, pre-translation, translation memory, terminology database, and project management.
Yun Yi Ke is a comprehensive online intelligent translation platform under Transn, mainly featuring human-machine co-translation, language asset management, team collaboration, QA testing, etc., with the ability to preview the original text during translation.
There are many types of CAT tools with powerful functions. Online tools do not occupy memory and are convenient and fast to use, while desktop tools have more functions. More and more tools are adopting a collaborative model between online and desktop tools, making translation work more synchronized and efficient. These tools may seem difficult to handle, but their working principles are common. You can first deeply learn about the tools you are interested in, and then apply that knowledge to explore other tools, understanding the characteristics of different tools, and flexibly choosing based on different translation work requirements.
Today’s editor: Jianguo
