# Douyin English Search API (`transaction-labs/douyin-english-search-api`) Actor

Search Douyin using English queries and return translated, normalized results with engagement metrics.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/transaction-labs/douyin-english-search-api.md
- **Developed by:** [Nico Vasquez](https://apify.com/transaction-labs) (community)
- **Stats:** 3 total users, 2 monthly users, 92.9% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

$15.00 / 1,000 english results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## Douyin English Search API

Search China's Douyin using English keywords and receive English-translated, normalized results with creator and engagement data.

Instead of manually translating search terms, running a Douyin scraper, translating the returned content, and cleaning the output yourself, this Actor combines the workflow into one call.

### What it does

1. Accepts search topics in English or Chinese.
2. Converts English topics into natural Simplified Chinese search queries.
3. Searches Douyin for matching content.
4. Translates captions, hashtags, and optionally creator bios into English.
5. Normalizes creator and engagement data.
6. Returns structured records ready for analysis, automation, or downstream APIs.

### Example input

````json
{
  "queries": [
    "electric cars",
    "skincare products"
  ],
  "maxResultsPerQuery": 25,
  "sort": "general",
  "publishTime": "unlimited",
  "duration": "unlimited",
  "translateAuthorBio": true,
  "includeOriginalChinese": true
}



# Actor input Schema

## `queries` (type: `array`):

One or more topics, brands, products, people, or phrases. English and Chinese are accepted.
## `maxResultsPerQuery` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of Douyin results to request for each search query.
## `sort` (type: `string`):

Controls how Douyin search results are ordered.
## `publishTime` (type: `string`):

Limit results based on when the Douyin content was published.
## `duration` (type: `string`):

Limit results based on the duration of the Douyin video.
## `translateAuthorBio` (type: `boolean`):

Translate the Douyin creator biography into English when available.
## `includeOriginalChinese` (type: `boolean`):

Include the original Chinese caption, hashtags, and creator biography alongside the English translation.
## `translationModel` (type: `string`):

OpenRouter model slug routed through Apify. The default is selected for low-cost translation.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "queries": [
    "electric cars"
  ],
  "maxResultsPerQuery": 5,
  "sort": "general",
  "publishTime": "unlimited",
  "duration": "unlimited",
  "translateAuthorBio": true,
  "includeOriginalChinese": true,
  "translationModel": "openai/gpt-5.4-mini"
}
````

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "queries": [
        "electric cars"
    ],
    "maxResultsPerQuery": 5
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("transaction-labs/douyin-english-search-api").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "queries": ["electric cars"],
    "maxResultsPerQuery": 5,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("transaction-labs/douyin-english-search-api").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "queries": [
    "electric cars"
  ],
  "maxResultsPerQuery": 5
}' |
apify call transaction-labs/douyin-english-search-api --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,transaction-labs/douyin-english-search-api"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/vLGTcIo05OlbrM8z4/builds/ztxYu3xgOpHqvjcXs/openapi.json