Japanese ↔ Chinese real-time voice translation for Google Meet and Teams
Short answer: Yes. SottMeet translates Google Meet and Microsoft Teams (web) calls between Japanese and Mandarin Chinese in real time, by voice, in both directions and directly, without going through English, with live subtitles for both sides.
For Japanese companies working with Chinese-speaking suppliers, customers and colleagues in Taiwan, mainland China and elsewhere, and the other way round. You speak Japanese and the other side hears natural Mandarin about a second later, and you hear their Mandarin in Japanese, with subtitles for both sides. It translates directly between the two, works in Google Meet and Microsoft Teams on the web, and only you install it.
What Google Meet and Teams offer for Japanese ↔ Chinese
Google Meet can't translate Japanese ↔ Chinese by voice: its speech translation always needs English and includes neither language. Teams Interpreter supports both with a Microsoft Copilot license. Both platforms also show text captions on paid plans.
| Option | Japanese ↔ Chinese? | Details | What you need |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Meet speech translation | No | Every Meet pair includes English, and neither Japanese nor Chinese is among the six. | Google AI Pro or Ultra, or Workspace Business Standard and above. One pair per meeting, up to 90 minutes. |
| Google Meet translated captions | Text only | Japanese and Chinese are both caption languages, shown as text. | Workspace Business Standard and above. Not on free Gmail. |
| Teams Interpreter agent | Yes, voice | Japanese and Chinese (Mandarin) are both supported. | Microsoft Copilot license; listeners need a Microsoft 365 license. Not in Teams free. |
| Teams live translated captions | Text only | Japanese and Chinese speech and translation, as text. | Teams Premium or Microsoft Copilot (the organizer's license covers everyone). |
| SottMeet | Yes, voice + subtitles | Two-way voice about a second after each phrase, plus live subtitles for both sides. Google Meet and Teams on the web; not Zoom or the Teams desktop app. | Any Google account in Chrome. Only you install it; pay per minute. |
Tips for Japanese ↔ Chinese meetings
- Direct, not through English. SottMeet translates Japanese ↔ Chinese directly, so nothing is lost in an extra English step. Neither side needs to speak English.
- Same characters, different meanings. Kanji and hanzi look alike but can mean different things: 手紙 is a letter in Japanese but toilet paper in Chinese, and 勉強 means studying in Japanese but doing something reluctantly in Chinese. Don't rely on written notes alone.
- Names are read differently. 田中 is Tanaka in Japanese and Tiánzhōng in Mandarin. Tell the other side how you want your name said, and put names in the chat.
- 万 helps, currency doesn't. Both languages count in 万 (10,000), so large figures carry over well. Say whether you mean yen, yuan or New Taiwan dollars every time.
Example: what each side hears
A Japanese electronics maker and a supplier in Taiwan plan next month's production. An illustrative exchange. Each bubble shows what was said and, below it, what the other side hears and reads.
来月の生産量を二割増やしていただけますか。
下個月的產量可以增加兩成嗎？
可以，不過交期需要延後一週。
可能ですが、納期は一週間遅れます。
承知しました。それで進めてください。
了解，那就這樣進行。
Set it up in four steps
Add SottMeet to Chrome
Install it from the Chrome Web Store and sign in with your Google account. Only you install it; the other side joins as usual.
Join the call in Chrome
Open your Google Meet call, or Microsoft Teams on the web. On Teams, click “Allow on Teams” in the SottMeet popup once before you join.
Pick the two languages
Click the SottMeet icon and set “I speak” to Japanese and “They speak” to Chinese. If you speak Chinese, swap them: “I speak” = Chinese, “They speak” = Japanese.
Press “Enable Translation” and talk
About a second after each phrase, they hear you in Chinese and you hear them in Japanese, with subtitles for both sides.
Price: start with 5 free minutes, up to 30 free minutes in total, then from US$10 for about 65 minutes. No subscription; you pay only while translation is on.
FAQ
Can Google Meet translate Japanese to Chinese by voice?
No. Meet's speech translation always has English on one side and covers neither Japanese nor Chinese. Meet can show translated captions as text on Workspace Business Standard and above.
Does Teams Interpreter translate Japanese ↔ Chinese?
Yes, both are among its nine languages, but it needs a Microsoft Copilot license, and listeners need a Microsoft 365 license. SottMeet works in Teams on the web with no Microsoft license.
Which Chinese does SottMeet speak?
Mandarin Chinese. It works with Mandarin speakers in Taiwan, mainland China, Singapore and elsewhere.
Do both sides need SottMeet?
No. Only one person installs it, and both hear each other translated: you hear them in your language and they hear you in theirs.
Try it in your next Japanese ↔ Chinese call
Add SottMeet to Chrome. 5 free minutes, no card needed.
Add to ChromeYou're using Microsoft EdgeBraveOperaFirefoxSafari. SottMeet works in Google Chrome only for now — open this page in Chrome to install it.