CATTI Level 2
CATTI Level 2 (翻译专业资格考试二级)
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ExploreAbout this exam
CATTI Level 2 (翻译专业资格考试二级) is the upper-intermediate tier of China's national translation and interpreting qualification system, administered under the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration (中国外文局) and promoted through the official 全国翻译人才评价网 portal, which lists 中国外文界 and 中国翻译协会 as its associated bodies. Candidates typically include working translators and interpreters, MTI graduates and final-year students, in-house language staff in government, media and enterprises, and freelancers who want an externally recognised benchmark of professional competence rather than a purely academic certificate.
The exam is split into two independent tracks: Translation (笔译) and Interpreting (口译). Both are delivered on computer (机考), and the official site publishes separate 机考模拟 practice entries for 口译 and 笔译 so candidates can rehearse the answering interface before test day. Content is bilingual and covers general and professional registers, requiring accurate rendering, register control, terminology handling and, for interpreting, delivery under time pressure. The site's 大纲样题 section carries the syllabus and sample items, and 教材教辅 lists official preparation materials.
Prepare by working from the syllabus outward: build glossaries in your subject areas, do timed full-length practice on the mock system, and self-review against published sample translations. Watch the 通知公告 and 考试资讯 channels for each province's 报名公告 and for score-release and certificate-collection notices, since those announcements are issued per region and per year. This page is an independent study guide and is not affiliated with the administering bodies.
What you'll study
About CATTI Level 2 preparation
What exactly is CATTI Level 2?
It is the second tier of China's national translation and interpreting qualification, run under the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration and publicised through the 全国翻译人才评价网 portal. It sits above Level 3 and below Level 1, and is commonly treated as the professional-entry benchmark for practising translators and interpreters.
Is the exam taken on paper or on computer?
On computer. The official portal lists 机考模拟 entries separately for 口译 and 笔译, plus a notice on 机考模拟作答系统注意事项. Practise on that mock system before the test so that typing, audio playback and answer submission do not consume time you need for actual translation or interpreting work.
Do I have to take both Translation and Interpreting?
They are separate tracks with separate results, so you choose the one you are sitting. Many candidates take 笔译 first because it is easier to rehearse alone, then add 口译 once their consecutive or simultaneous delivery is stable. Check the current-year 报名公告 for how the track is selected during registration.
How hard is Level 2 compared with Level 3?
Expect a clear step up in length, register and tolerance for error. Level 2 passages assume familiarity with policy, business and technical discourse, and interpreting demands fluent delivery without long pauses. The reliable difficulty signal is the 大纲样题 on the official site - work through it untimed first, then timed.
Where do I find the syllabus and sample questions?
The official portal's CATTI考试 section has a 大纲样题 page, and 教材教辅 lists published preparation materials. Treat the syllabus as your scope document: it defines text types and skills assessed. Sample items show format, not the exact difficulty of your sitting, so use several sources for practice material.
How do I register, and when are results released?
Registration runs through provincial announcements: the portal publishes 2026年CATTI考试各省报名公告 and separate notices for 境外考区. Results and certificates are announced separately - the site carries a 2026CATTI成绩查询 entry and province-by-province certificate distribution summaries. Follow 通知公告 rather than assuming a fixed annual date.
Can candidates outside mainland China take it?
Yes. The portal publishes overseas-centre notices, including a 2026年翻译资格考试境外考区报名通知, an exam-day report for overseas centres, admission-ticket download instructions and certificate-collection notices. Overseas candidates should follow those notices specifically, because timings and procedures differ from provincial arrangements.
What is the most common reason candidates fail?
Running out of time and drifting register. Under exam pressure people translate word by word, leave untranslated terms, or produce interpreting that is accurate but halting. Build speed with timed mock runs, keep a personal glossary of recurring policy and business terms, and review your output against published sample translations.
Does the certificate expire, and can I retake?
The source material for this page does not state a validity period or a retake rule, so treat both as unconfirmed and verify with the current-year 报名公告 and 通知公告 before relying on them. Plan on the assumption that a failed track must be re-sat in a later administration.
How should I sequence my preparation?
Start with the 大纲样题 to calibrate, then build domain glossaries and do weekly timed full papers on the 机考模拟 system. For 口译, record yourself and audit fluency, not just accuracy. In the final month, switch to full-length timed runs and read the provincial 报名公告 for logistics.