Research on English Translation Strategies of Cross-border E-commerce Product Descriptions Guided by Functional Translation Theory 
ZHOU ZIHAN

Qingdao University of Technology，Shandong Linyi，276000；

Abstract：Against the backdrop of globalized cross-border e-commerce, English translation of product descriptions acts as a vital linguistic medium for Chinese domestic brands to enter international consumer markets. The quality of translation directly influences product exposure, overseas consumers’ purchase intentions and global brand images. At present, the English versions of product descriptions used by China’s cross-border e-commerce platforms are widely plagued by stiff literal translation, cultural mismatches, redundant information and weakened textual functions, failing to satisfy overseas market consumption demands and platform communication regulations. Taking Functional Translation Theory as the guiding framework, this paper relies on its three core principles—the skopos rule, the coherence rule and the fidelity rule. Combined with the practical, promotional and popularized textual features of cross-border e-commerce product descriptions, this paper systematically summarizes prevalent defects in their English translations and proposes targeted translation strategies suitable for cross-border e-commerce contexts. By analyzing authentic e-commerce translation cases, this paper verifies the guiding significance of Functional Translation Theory for translating product descriptions into English. The research aims to improve translation quality of cross-border e-commerce product texts, support Chinese brands to carry out targeted overseas marketing, and offer references for practical translation and academic studies concerning cross-border e-commerce.

Keywords: Functional Translation Theory; cross-border e-commerce; product description; English translation strategy; textual translation

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