How do you open/import a CSV file with Unicode characters?

Question

I tried to import a CSV file with Chinese characters in Unicode (for example 香辣猪) in Excel, although I have set the "File Origin" to "65001: Unicode (UTF-8)", but seems like it doesn't do anything.

The following is a screenshot of the import screen. You can see the column "Product Title" has Chinese characters in Unicode, but the characters are not being displayed properly.

How can I import the CSV file with Chinese characters in Unicode, successfully in Excel?

Answer 1

Try to open first the CSV file in notepad. Are you seeing the Chinese characters?

If yes, go to File >Save As. Change the extension name to .csv then the encoding should be UTF-8.

If not, then it means that the CSV file is not in UTF-8 encoding.

Answer 2

Hi,

I have not used Power Query before. This looks really complicated.

Anyway, here is a copy of the CSV file in question. https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvifirwWT_5MgSJapF9B6lbDkQL-?e=CIPFX3

Please note that the delimiter needs to use comma, and not semicolon. If your editor doesn't show the columns correctly, then please specifically choose comma as the delimiter.

Thanks.

Answer 3

Hi,

When I open the CSV file in notepad, I don't see Chinese characters. I only see characters such as 香辣猪

How can I get Excel to display these in actual Chinese characters?

Thanks.

Answer 4

You need to know the encoding used for the CSV file so that you will be able to open the file properly.

If you have other tool that can open the file as Chinese Character, then copy the content of it and paste it to Notepad in that case.

Answer 5

Anyway, here is a copy of the CSV file in question. https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvifirwWT_5MgSJapF9B6lbDkQL-?e=CIPFX3

Did not work, that opens as Excel file.

Again: Zip your CSV file!

Andreas.