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This article was written by me (Krystal / KrystalKollectz).
All the information provided in this article is based on my personal experience of collecting Pokemon cards for over twenty years and opening products on YouTube since 2020.
I. INTRO
So, you've recently discovered Simplified Chinese Pokémon cards and the exclusive cards from Mainland China. But then you come across a "Chinese" Pokémon card that does NOT have a imprinted logo on the left corner. And you then maybe realize later on that there are also...Traditional Chinese Pokemon cards.
Also, hi. My name is Krystal / KrystalKollectz and I have been creating YouTube videos about non-English Pokémon releases for many years since 2020. I have also played every core series Pokemon game, with Crystal version (for the Game Boy Color) as my first game. It wasn't because of my name, I promise lol.
Over the years, Chinese Pokemon cards (especially Simplified Chinese) have gained an unexpected amount of popularity worldwide. With the increased interest for Chinese Pokemon cards, there has also been escalating confusion among collectors. Many are just realizing recently that there are two separate language release of Chinese Pokemon cards - Traditional & Simplified Chinese. You can purchase both Simplified & Traditional Chinese Pokémon booster boxes here | KrystalKollectz.com
II. HOW IT BEGAN
Before going further into detail, please don't get Taiwan 🇹🇼 mixed up with Thailand 🇹🇭. Many often confuse these two countries. In Taiwan 🇹🇼, you'll find Traditional Chinese Pokemon cards. In Thailand 🇹🇭, you'll find Thai Pokemon cards.
Hold on, Taiwan 🇹🇼 has Chinese Pokemon cards? I thought it was just mainland China 🇨🇳 ?
Yes, Traditional Chinese Pokemon cards actually came about way before any Simplified Chinese Pokemon cards were printed into existence. Have you heard of Chinese Base Set? Yes, like THE Base Set that has the Charizard by Mitsuhiro Arita from the early 2000s. This was the first ever Traditional Chinese Pokemon release, printed by Wizards of the Coast in the United States, and was distributed in Taiwan 🇹🇼 and Hong Kong 🇭🇰 in the year 2000. 
Meanwhile, Pokemon in Mainland China 🇨🇳 released its first Simplified Chinese Pokemon Card set, Storming Emergence | 横空出世 (csm1aC, csm1bC, csm1cC), in 2022. These sets feature cards from the Sun & Moon era.
Clearly the two languages of Pokemon cards will have completely different release schedules if they started 22 years apart from each other.
III. HOW TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE
So now that you've gotten a short introduction on how Simplified Chinese & Traditional Chinese Pokemon cards started out, you're probably wondering how to tell the differences between them. Even if you don't read or speak any dialect of Chinese, there are many ways to distinguish the two language releases without being fluent.
SIMILARITIES
First off, let's get some similarities out of the way. Both Simplified Chinese & Traditional Chinese Pokemon cards are printed in Japan 🇯🇵. So they will share the same card quality as Japanese Pokemon cards (thin texture, increased shine & glossiness when compared to English & Korean Pokemon card stock). They will both also share the same international card backs.
To see a direct comparison between Japanese & Traditional Chinese Pokemon cards, check out this opening video from my Youtube Channel - Krystalkollectz.
DIFFERENCES
Now for the differences, we can either look at Pokemon card singles or sealed product.
1. Let's start with Pokemon card singles.
a) LOOK FOR THE LOGOS
One quick way to distinguish the two languages of Pokemon cards is looking for the Pokemon logo debossed on the bottom left corner of the Pokemon card. Keep in mind, this only applies to Simplified Chinese Pokemon cards with holofoil. Traditional Chinese Pokemon cards will NOT have this logo (hence why it doesn't show on the 5th anniversary Pikachu Promo, for example.
There is another Pokemon logo that can be observed towards the bottom of the card (either near the right corner or in the center) only on Simplified Chinese Pokemon cards with texture (example: ex cards, VMAX cards, shinies). However, this logo is lenticular - meaning its appearance alternates between a Poké Ball logo & the "Pokemon" text logo as observed in the image comparison below. You will NOT find this lenticular logo on Traditional Chinese Pokemon cards.
("Pokémon" logo) (Poké Ball logo)
(Card: Tera Forretress ex 005/130 RR from csv3C)
b) LOOK AT THE SET CODE
Let's say though, you're looking at a non-holo and/or non-textured Chinese Pokemon card. Is there any other way to tell the difference? The next method is looking at the set code on the bottom left corner. Note that this method will not work for PROMO cards.
Basically:
• Simplified Chinese 简体中文
Pokemon sets end in "C"
(example - csv10C | Chasing Glory Together | 2026)
• Traditional Chinese 繁體中文
Pokemon sets end in "F"
(example - sv10F | Glory of Team Rocket | 2025)
c) LOOK AT THE YEAR
As you can see from the example above, related sets in Traditional Chinese & Simplified Chinese Pokemon (Glory of Team Rocket vs. Chasing Glory Together) released during different years (2025 vs. 2026). Therefore, you could use the year a card was printed to help distinguish if it's in Simplified Chinese or in Traditional Chinese for sets that are at least 1 year apart from one another.
KRYSTALKOLLECTZ
S-Chinese (2026) vs. T-Chinese (2025)
Card featured: Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex SAR
d) LOOK AT THE REVERSE HOLO PATTERN
If you happen to be looking at a reverse holo Chinese Pokemon card, it's helpful to know that the reverse holo patterns are also very distinct between Traditional Chinese & Simplified Chinese Pokemon cards. Modern Traditional Chinese Pokemon cards (since 2019) have historically followed the same reverse holo patterns as Japanese Pokemon cards. However, Simplified Chinese Pokemon cards have shown unique holofoil patterns ever since they first released in 2022. We've seen this across the main Simplified Chinese Pokemon sets, Collect 151 (151C) and the Gem Pack series.
T-Chinese reverse holo examples (same as Japanese):
NOTE: you will only see reverse holo patterns in High Class/Special Sets (example: Mega Dream ex, Terastal Festival ex, 151, VSTAR Universe, Black Bolt & White Flare, etc.) or on specific promo cards.
S-Chinese Sun & Moon era reverse holo pattern (csm1ac - csm2.5C):
This reverse holo pattern from the Sun & Moon era emphasizes the Pokemon's type symbol in the center of the card, complemented by a repeat pattern of the same symbol in the background.
S-Chinese Sword & Shield era reverse holo pattern (cs1aC - cs6.5C):
The reverse holo pattern from the Sword & Shield era displays a repeat pattern of the Pokemon's type with alternating sizes.
S-Chinese Scarlet & Violet era | 151C reverse holo patterns (csv1C - present):
There are two reverse holo patterns in the Scarlet & Violet era - one displaying a tilted Poké Ball other a tilted Master Ball. The same pattern is used in Collect 151 / 151C.
S-Chinese Gem Pack Series holo patterns (introduced in Vol. 1):
The Gem Pack sets introduced four new holo patterns unique to this series. This includes the tilted type symbol, repeat star and repeat pinwheel patterns. There is also a stamped holo with a thick layer of gloss.
S-Chinese Gem Pack Series holo patterns (introduced in Vol. 6):
Gem Pack volume 6 introduced two new holo patterns that did not appear in previous volumes. This includes a confetti-like pattern (left image) and an improved pinwheel pattern (right image) that appears sharper and broader than the original pinwheel pattern.
e) LOOK AT THE CHINESE POKEMON NAMES
Some Pokemon names appear different in Traditional Chinese vs. Simplified Chinese
Charizard for example:
噴火龍 - Traditional Chinese 🇹🇼🇭🇰
喷火龙 - Simplified Chinese 🇨🇳
The first and third characters visually appear more complex in T-Chinese 🇹🇼🇭🇰 as opposed to those in S-Chinese 🇨🇳.
However, there are also many Chinese Pokemon names that have the same characters in Traditional Chinese & Simplified Chinese.
Rayquaza for example:
烈空坐 - Traditional Chinese
烈空坐 - Simplified Chinese
All the characters are uniform between Rayquaza's Traditional Chinese & Simplified Chinese names.
Pikachu / 皮卡丘 - Promo | 153/SV-P:
Release date: November 1, 2024
Product: 5th Anniversary Gift Box
I know what you're thinking. You probably recall that this card celebrates the 5th anniversary of Chinese Pokemon cards. Yes, but which language? Traditional Chinese or Simplified Chinese?
Well...it can't be printed in Simplified Chinese if that Pikachu promo released in 2024 (remember S-Chinese Pokemon cards first released in 2022). That's only a 2 year difference. Also if you own this card, you'll notice that there is NO Pokemon logo on the bottom left corner.
So that can only mean that this 5th Anniversary Pikachu promo is printed in Traditional Chinese and from Taiwan 🇹🇼 & Hong Kong 🇭🇰. And yes, this is artwork exclusively printed in Traditional Chinese as well.
Wait Krystal, I thought Traditional Chinese Pokemon cards started out in Base Set?
Yes, that is true. However, the Pikachu / 皮卡丘 promo is celebrating the 5th anniversary of Pokemon Taiwan 🇹🇼 & Hong Kong 🇭🇰's rebirth of Traditional Chinese Pokemon card releases in 2019, starting with the Sun & Moon / 太陽 & 月亮 era sets - All Stars Collection, Sets A + B | 眾星雲集組合篇, ac1a + ac1b. Prior to the Sun & Moon era, Traditional Chinese Pokemon card releases were very scattered and inconsistent.
T-Chinese All Stars Collection | 眾星雲集組合篇 - Set A (left) & Set B (right):
7 x cards per booster pack
Release date: October 9th, 2019
Countries: Taiwan 🇹🇼 | Hong Kong 🇭🇰
KRYSTALKOLLECTZ
2. Now for the Sealed Products:
a) LOOK AT THE BOOSTER PACKS
There are two types of Simplified Chinese booster packs (jumbo & slim) for most sets (excluding subsets - or sets with .5 in the set code such as Terastal Gathering | csv9.5C). Traditional Chinese Pokemon sets only have ONE type of booster pack.
S-Chinese Slim (5-card) booster packs (colored edges)
S-Chinese Jumbo (25*-card) booster packs (black edges)
*Jumbo booster packs changed in the Scarlet & Violet era, containing 20 cards instead of 25 cards. See below.
S-Chinese Jumbo (20-card) booster packs (black edges)
b) LOOK AT THE POKÉMON LOGO
If you look at any Chinese sealed product (booster pack, booster box, gift box, etc.) check the appearance of the Pokemon logo. The first and third characters of the Pokemon logo will differ between the two languages. Literally, the Simplified Chinese characters look like a simpler version when compared to the Traditional Chinese version ( 宝 vs.寶, 梦 vs.夢)
Simplified Chinese Pokemon (宝可梦) Logo:
KRYSTALKOLLECTZ
Traditional Chinese Pokemon (寶可夢) Logo:
c) THINK ABOUT THE TIMELINE
Remember that at the time of making this article, Pokemon China / Simplified Chinese Pokemon releases are still behind the rest of the world. However, Pokemon Taiwan & Hong Kong / Traditional Chinese Pokemon releases caught up with Japan (and therefore, the rest of world) in 2020 when Astonishing Volt Tackle | s4 F released. All the Traditional Chinese Pokemon sets starting from this release up until present day have been identical to the Japanese Pokemon releases aside from the language.
Astonishing Volt Tackle Booster Pack | s4 (Japanese) vs. s4F (T-Chinese):
Release dates:
September 18, 2020 - Japan 🇯🇵
October 9, 2020 - Taiwan 🇹🇼 & Hong Kong 🇭🇰
仰天のボルテッカー 🇯🇵 | 驚天伏特攻擊 🇹🇼🇭🇰
But where are Korean Pokémon cards printed? 🇰🇷
This is a little off topic but it's a very frequently asked question as people often confuse Korean / 한글 & Chinese / 中文 Pokémon cards. Pokémon Korea 🇰🇷 is an independent branch of the Pokémon company and is not associated with China or Japan. The marketing and even print quality is unique when compared to Japanese & English Pokémon cards. You'll find that the Secret Rare (Pokémon Character) is NOT guaranteed from Korean Pokémon booster boxes. You'll also notice that the Korean Pokémon booster box is the only language with this type of booster box.
Item featured
Inferno X / 인페르노X | M2 | Phantasmal Flames
Korean Pokémon / 포켓몬스터 Booster Box
If you are looking to learn more about non-english Pokémon releases please see my YouTube channel - KrystalKollectz for more in-depth information and visuals.
This article was written by me (Krystal / KrystalKollectz).
All the information provided in this article is based on my personal experience of collecting Pokemon cards for over twenty years and opening products on YouTube since 2020.
Instagram KrystalKollectz
Youtube Channel KrystalKollectz
Save $25 off PSA grading | KOLLECTZ25
