Words that Taiwan newbies should know?

Hi guys :slight_smile:

What are the words that newbies like me should know before entering the country for the first time?

Thanks in advance :slight_smile:

Chinese words? English words? Special terminology applicable to Taiwan?

Here are a few:

buxiban
biandang (box lunch, NOT lunch box)
guanxi
face
ARC
MRT
renao
chou doufu

Paise and bu hao isse.

You could survive almost forever with the two phrases ck posted. With adding Xie Xie to those two you could probably live here forever.

Any of them but WITH THE TRANSLATIONS please!! ahaha :slight_smile:

buxiban… a kind of school where students go to study as a supplement to their usual school curriculum. Many are language schools where foreigners teach English.

guanxi = connections, relationships with people who can pull strings and grease wheels for you. You build them and foster them, and they serve you well (but could also crumble to your detriment if not maintained properly).

face = a sense of dignity or prestige that can be easily bruised.

ARC = alien resident certificate
MRT = Taipei’s subway system

“renao” means vibrant, exciting, noisy, lots of activity going on … kind of like Bangkok’s Khao San Road during Songkran (that’s right now).

chou doufu = stinky tofu, a local treat. You’ll either love it or hate it.

Thanks but I don’t need full sentences.
Only words that are often used, or that can be mixed with English.

For example, in Japan, you have :
Combini (convenience store)
Staba (Starbucks Coffee)
Haafu (someone of mixed race)
etc…

[quote=“Chris”]buxiban… a kind of school where students go to study as a supplement to their usual school curriculum. Many are language schools where foreigners teach English.

guanxi = connections, relationships with people who can pull strings and grease wheels for you. You build them and foster them, and they serve you well (but could also crumble to your detriment if not maintained properly).

face = a sense of dignity or prestige that can be easily bruised.

ARC = alien resident certificate
MRT = Taipei’s subway system

“renao” means vibrant, exciting, noisy, lots of activity going on … kind of like Bangkok’s Khao San Road during Songkran (that’s right now).

chou doufu = stinky tofu, a local treat. You’ll either love it or hate it.[/quote]

Thanks Chris :slight_smile:
Exactly what I need!
More of this please!

Pijo=beer. Beeru in Japanese, I believe.

I think “wasssai” - “gosh” or “wow” is a word you can use (if you know how to prononce it)

Yeah, you can carry on whole conversations with locals by simply replying “jen de ma?” (really?) with the occasional wassai thrown in for a decent measure of surprise where appropriate, lol. Good call, touduke.

kuai = dollar (ershiwu kuai = 25 dollars)
waiguoren = foreigner
adogah = big nose = foreigner (Taiwanese)
seven = 7-11

Ah … you mean like local jargon that has no meaning elsewhere, right?

“lohas” (le huo - literally, happy life, I believe) a phrase generally used by purveyors of random crap to indicate that their product will make you healthy, fit, attractive, ‘green’, etc)
“psycho xiaojie” - the female of the species, endemic to Taiwan, which may appear fluffy and cute on first appearance but will rip you to shreds if you step out of line. Or even if you don’t.
“pai se” - Taiwanese word meaning, roughly, “I don’t give a fuck that I just pulled out in front of you and wrote off your scooter and your girlfriend’s teeth, but, since you are a foreigner, I will pretend that I am aware that I did something wrong and hope you go away”

Hanyu Pinyin, people! Please! :bow:

pijiu = beer
zhende ma? = really?

[quote=“Chris”]Hanyu Pinyin, people! Please! :bow:
[/quote]
Come now, Chris. Not all of us are students of the language. :astonished: I learned all my Chinese from kindy kids. That’s why I speak like one. :smiley:

Read CK’s original response. And add Xie Xie and you have everything you really need.

This thread is going to really piss off some but I’m putting it in actual usable Chinese romanization.

Paise = English (pie say) [apple pie (pie) + say = (Taiwanese) Sorry or I’m embarrassed to bother you, or more. This is a never ending word with more meaning that you probably won’t understand until you experience it. Just use it as “I’m sorry” until you know. By you saying it makes almost any Taiwanese feel happy that at least you know one word. That word will take you farther and further than any other word.

bu hao isse = (boo like ghost + how are you “how” + long e + su from support) I’m sorry, I’m embarrassed that I caused this (problem/difficulty/ or intervention). Use it anytime you need to jump into a conversation, need to move into a crowd, or anytime you would say “pardon me”.

These three phrases/words are all you need until you find a friend here. Many arrived here with a smaller vocabulary than that.

It’s very convenient if you understand the real meaning of fang bian.

A couple of boring but necessary phrases:

Duoshao qian ? - how much ?
Keyi pianyi yidianÂŽ ? - can you do it for a little cheaper ?

Neither to be said, by the way, to the aforementioned psycho xiaojie …

hao Ker ai, (cute) the most over-used word by taiwanese females (and some boys), and ok la, sick of hearing that one. “7-11”, or just “7” “family” (mart), “i-phone”, and “starbucks” pronounced “starbacks” are common ones too.

[quote=“Chris”]Hanyu Pinyin, people! Please! :bow:

pijiu = beer
zhende ma? = really?[/quote]

Ah, Chris, the romanizations have changed so many times since I’ve been here that I really can’t be too hassled…sorry, mate. Make that a pee joe, if you please? :wink: