The Lonely Planet Chinese Translator app is similar but has the advantage of being entirely offline with a dictionary tailored to the needs of travelers.

CNN: 5 top tips for China first-timers

That possibility inspired Ms. Dai, the translator, an associate professor and vice dean of the department of Chinese language and literature at Fudan University in Shanghai.

WSJ: 'Finnegans Wake' Is Greek to Many; Now Imagine It in Chinese

Mr. PANG XING YUEN (Economist, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences): (Through translator) China's holdings of U.S. treasury bonds are less than people think.

NPR: Chinese Cash Moves Could Roil Markets

Mr. GERARD BOHELAY (Paris Union of Brasserie Tabac): (Through Translator) Today, in the Paris region, 45 percent of the buyers of pas sit tabac are Chinese because they put more money on the table.

NPR: The Changing Face of France's Bistros

"Most of the people at the recycling center didn't want to be filmed, because they think it's a shameful job, " said a Chinese woman named Lilly, one of the film's subjects, speaking Cantonese through a translator while collecting a fresh haul last week near Fulton Street.

WSJ: Lives of 'Canners' Come Up for Oscar Moment