The noun for the act of writing a word in the letters of another writing system, and also for the result of doing that. It works in two ways, and both are common.

The noun for the act of writing a word in the letters of another writing system這個名詞指的是把一個字用另一種文字系統寫出來的這個動作， and also for the result of doing that也指這樣做出來的結果。 It works in two ways它有兩種用法， and both are common而且都很常見。

First, uncountable, the process or practice: 'transliteration of Chinese names into English is not standardised', 'rules of transliteration'. Second, countable, the actual string of letters you end up with: 'Peking and Beijing are two transliterations of the same name', 'this is a transliteration, not a translation'.

First, uncountable, the process or practice第一種是不可數，指這個過程或做法： 'transliteration of Chinese names into English is not standardised'「transliteration of Chinese names into English（把中文名字轉寫成英文並沒有統一標準）」、 'rules of transliteration'「rules of transliteration（轉寫的規則）」。 Second, countable, the actual string of letters you end up with第二種是可數，指你最後得到的那串字母本身： 'Peking and Beijing are two transliterations of the same name'「Peking and Beijing are two transliterations of the same name（Peking和Beijing是同一個名字的兩種轉寫）」、 'this is a transliteration, not a translation'「this is a transliteration, not a translation（這是轉寫，不是翻譯）」。

The important thing to hold on to is that a transliteration carries SOUND, not meaning. Someone reading it can pronounce the word but still has no idea what it means.

The important thing to hold on to is要記住的重點是， that a transliteration carries SOUND, not meaning轉寫傳遞的是「音」，不是意思。 Someone reading it can pronounce the word看到它的人唸得出這個字， but still has no idea what it means卻完全不知道它是什麼意思。

That is why passports, maps, academic papers on Sanskrit, Greek or Arabic, and library catalogues all rely on it.

That is why passports, maps, academic papers on Sanskrit, Greek or Arabic, and library catalogues這就是為什麼護照、地圖、研究梵文、希臘文或阿拉伯文的學術論文，還有圖書館的目錄， all rely on it都靠它。

Taiwanese students meet this constantly and personally: the Roman spelling of your own name is a transliteration, and because Taiwan has used several systems over the years — Wade-Giles, Tongyong pinyin, Hanyu pinyin — the same family can end up with Chang, Zhang and Chiang on different documents. Nothing is wrong; they are just different transliteration systems.

Taiwanese students meet this constantly and personally台灣學生常常親身遇到這件事： the Roman spelling of your own name is a transliteration自己名字的英文拼法就是一種轉寫， and because Taiwan has used several systems over the years而因為台灣這些年用過好幾套系統 — Wade-Giles, Tongyong pinyin, Hanyu pinyin ———威妥瑪拼音、通用拼音、漢語拼音—— the same family can end up with Chang, Zhang and Chiang on different documents同一個姓在不同文件上可能變成Chang、Zhang、Chiang。 Nothing is wrong這沒有錯； they are just different transliteration systems只是不同的轉寫系統而已。

The word is formal and belongs to writing and classroom talk; in daily speech people say 'the English spelling' or 'the pinyin'.

The word is formal and belongs to writing and classroom talk這個字很正式，屬於書面和課堂用語； in daily speech people say 'the English spelling'日常講話時，人們會說「the English spelling（英文拼法）」 or 'the pinyin'或「the pinyin（拼音）」。