Please help with my research

[Guest dmbraun]

I recently graduated and I was hoping you could help me with research that I am doing for a new community website that will be available in East Asia. The website will be designed for college-age computer programmers/developers to discuss current events, new technologies, and just about anything they want to discuss. I wanted to know any connotations or meanings that Chinese people might get from the English word "spoke." We are using spoke as in hub and spoke to connect people. What is the translation? What would a Chinese person think of when they heard the word "spoke" or

[confucius]

It's too awkward. The Chinese simply won't get it despite the fact that more than half the country rides bikes to work. :?

Instead of 'spoke', try "fresh" instead. ("xian" if you are going to use the Chinese character, otherwise avoid the pinyin and just use the English word "Fresh") This word is used in Chinese slang much as it is in America and has an appropriate connotation for your web site's theme. :idea:

You always have to start from the Chinese perspective when you play around with brand names and corresponding translations. What sounds cool in English often makes no sense whatsoever when translated into Chinese. Try something that sounds cool or clever in Chinese first and then see what the English looks like and make modifications from there.