This essay first lists the definitions of the terms 'translate' and 'translator' given in major Chinese dictionaries from the second century to the present. It then considers cases drawn from various periods of Chinese history and examines the exact nature of the work in which the persons credited as translators were engaged. This will reveal a major discrepancy between the usual definition for the word 'translator' and the actual accreditation of translation work to individuals, a discrepancy which has been highlighted in the latest studies from Chinese translation circles. To conclude, it briefly examines why this situation has arisen and what it signifies.