Comparative Analysis of Mandarin Chengyu Translations into Indonesian Using DeepSeek and Google Translate

Abstract

The translation of chengyu is an essential aspect of Mandarin language studies, 
as these expressions contain figurative meanings and cultural values that cannot 
always be interpreted literally. However, users in Indonesia often face difficulties 
in obtaining accurate chengyu translations, especially when relying on 
automatic translation tools. This study aims to analyze the comparative results 
of translating 25 Mandarin chengyu using two AI-based translation tools, 
Deepseek and Google Translate. Employing a descriptive qualitative analysis 
method, the data were collected from the translation outputs of both tools and 
compared based on idiomatic accuracy, cultural contextualization, and 
translation fluency. The findings indicate that Deepseek tends to produce more 
natural and accurate translations, as it successfully preserves idiomatic meaning 
and Mandarin cultural context. In contrast, Google Translate more frequently 
generates literal and lexical translations, causing several chengyu to deviate from 
their intended figurative meanings. Of the 25 chengyu analyzed, 17 showed 
similarities in meaning, while 8 displayed differences, with Deepseek 
demonstrating superiority in terms of semantic accuracy and word choice. This 
study concludes that Deepseek is more effective for translating Mandarin 
chengyu into Indonesian, as it provides translations results that better reflect 
cultural values ada idiomatic nuances.