> Quick answer: Google Ads has no auto-translate feature. You write Chinese copy yourself, respect the double-width character limits, set language targeting to Chinese at the campaign level, and choose Simplified or Traditional based on your target market.
The Short Answer: Google Ads Requires Manual Translation
Google Ads does not touch your ad copy. You bring the Chinese text. Full stop.
Google Ads doesn't automatically translate your ads
Per Google's Ads Help Center, "Google Ads doesn't translate your ads, so only target languages that align with your ad content." That rule is non-negotiable. Write Chinese copy first. Set targeting second.
You must create Chinese-language ad copy yourself or hire a translator
Your options are: hire a professional translator, work with a native speaker, or use an AI tool to generate a first draft. Whatever the method, the copy must be in Chinese before it goes into Google Ads. Mismatched content and language targeting can trigger ad review and lead to disapproval.
Step-by-Step: How to Translate and Launch a Google Ad for Chinese
Each step matters. Skipping the character-limit check is the most common mistake advertisers make.
Step 1: Translate or create your ad copy in Chinese
Write or translate your headlines and descriptions into Chinese before opening Google Ads. Do not paste English text while using Chinese language targeting. It doesn't work and it flags your ad for review.
Step 2: Account for Chinese character limits (double-width counting)
Per Google's Ads Help Center, each Chinese character counts as 2 toward your character limits. A headline with 15 Chinese characters already hits the 30-character cap. Count before you upload, not after.
Step 3: Create your campaign and set language targeting to Chinese
Language targeting is set at the campaign level. Per Google's language targeting documentation, Google shows your ads to users who use Google products in that language. Set targeting to Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), or both depending on your market.
Step 4: Set geographic targeting to Chinese markets
Language targeting and geo targeting are separate settings. Target mainland China for Simplified Chinese audiences. Target Taiwan, Hong Kong, or Macau for Traditional Chinese audiences. Both must be configured correctly.
Step 5: Choose between Simplified and Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese is standard in mainland China. Traditional Chinese is used in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. Running the wrong script in the wrong market damages relevance and hurts performance.
Important Character Limit Rules for Chinese Ads
Get the limits wrong and your ads won't go live. These rules catch the most common mistakes before upload.
Expanded text ads: 30 characters per headline (Chinese counts as 2 each)
Per Google's expanded text ads documentation, each headline supports up to 30 characters. Chinese characters count as 2. That means a maximum of 15 Chinese characters per headline. Plan your copy around that ceiling.
Descriptions: 90 characters (Chinese characters count as 2 each)
Description fields allow 90 characters total. Chinese characters count as 2. That gives you 45 Chinese characters per description. Tight, but workable with clean copy.
Why this matters: Chinese text takes up more space
A 10-character Chinese phrase counts as 20 characters in Google Ads. Plan your copy length before writing, not after. A double-width character counter saves a lot of wasted effort.
Translation Best Practices to Avoid Disapprovals
These four rules cut disapproval rates for Chinese ad campaigns.
Use native speakers or professional translators for accuracy
Machine-translated copy often reads unnaturally to native Chinese speakers. Grammatical errors increase disapproval risk and damage credibility with your audience. Native review is not optional for any serious campaign.
Localize keywords and ad copy, don't just translate word-for-word
Direct translation misses how Chinese users actually search. Brand terms, product names, and CTAs often have stronger local equivalents. Per Search Engine Land's research on multi-market campaigns, maintaining translation glossaries for key brand terms prevents inconsistencies that confuse both users and algorithms.
Test for character length before launching
Paste Chinese copy into a double-width character counter before uploading. Many free tools handle this check online. One minute of checking saves an hour of troubleshooting disapproved ads.
Maintain your brand voice in the translated copy
Translation is more than word swapping. Your tone and offer must carry over. A discount ad should feel urgent in Chinese the same way it does in English. Brand voice is not a luxury, it is what makes the ad work.
Speed Up Translation with AI: Coinis Revise for Chinese Copy
Manual translation is slow. Revising your ad creative on top of that is slower. Coinis Revise handles the creative layer fast.
How Revise AI Translate helps with Chinese copy refinement
Coinis Revise includes AI Translate. Upload your ad creative. Run AI Translate. It swaps the copy into Chinese directly on the image. No separate design step. Review with a native speaker, make final adjustments, and drop the polished file into Google Ads.
Why Brand Profile powers better-translated ad copy
Brand Profile learns your brand voice. When you run AI Translate or generate new copy in Coinis, that voice carries into the output. Your Chinese ad sounds like your brand, not a generic translation from a dictionary.
From manual translation to optimized campaigns faster
Use Revise to handle the creative layer. Then upload polished assets directly to Google Ads. Coinis publishes directly to Meta today. For Google Ads campaigns, Revise still generates, translates, and refines your creatives so they are ready to upload the moment you need them.
Or skip the steps.
Coinis Revise edits any ad image with AI. Move text. Change text. Swap colors. Erase objects. Translate to any language. One click each.
No design skills. No Photoshop. One click.
15 AI tokens a month. No credit card.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Google Ads automatically translate my ads into Chinese?
No. Per Google's own documentation, Google Ads does not translate your ads. You must create Chinese-language ad copy yourself before setting Chinese language targeting.
How many Chinese characters can I use in a Google Ads headline?
Each Chinese character counts as 2 toward the 30-character limit, so you can use a maximum of 15 Chinese characters per headline in expanded text ads.
Should I use Simplified or Traditional Chinese for my Google Ads?
Use Simplified Chinese for mainland China audiences. Use Traditional Chinese for audiences in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. You can create separate campaigns for each, or target both simultaneously.
Can I run the same Chinese ad copy across multiple placements?
Yes, but check character limits for each ad format before uploading. Double-width counting applies across text ad types, and limits vary by format.