Category: Taiwanese (Hokkien)

Taiwanese Hangul (한글: 대꽃금진; Chinese: 臺語譴文; pinyin: Táiyǔ Yànwén; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-gí Gān-bûn) is an innovative orthography system developed to represent the sounds of Taiwanese Hokkien, one of Taiwan's most widely spoken languages. Introduced in 1987 by Taiwanese linguist Hsu Tsao-te, it leverages modified Hangul letters to transcribe Taiwanese Hokkien effectively. The system has since gained… Continue reading Taiwanese Hangul: A Unique Writing System for Taiwanese Hokkien

“Kan Ni Nia Ji Bai” (幹你娘雞掰 or 姦恁娘膣屄) is a pretty strong and offensive phrase in Taiwanese, often used when people are angry or joking around with friends. It's definitely not something you’d want to use in polite conversation. Learning about expressions like this can give you a better feel for the language, but it’s… Continue reading What Does “Kan Ni Nia Ji Bai” Mean in Taiwanese?

Taiwan has a very complex history that has shaped and influenced its linguistic diversity. Taiwanese Hokkien was the dominant language spoken on the island for a very long time, predating the introduction of Mandarin Chinese by the ROC government. During the Japanese occupation of the island, Taiwanese people began introducing Japanese words into their local… Continue reading Japanese Loanwords in Taiwanese Hokkien

Learning how to count in Taiwanese Hokkien is a little trickier than in Mandarin Chinese. First of all, Taiwanese isn’t as standardized as Mandarin, meaning that some words, including numbers, can be pronounced differently depending on whether you are in the north or south of Taiwan, for example. Here, we will learn the most standardized… Continue reading Numbers in Taiwanese Hokkien | Complete Guide

If you're interested in learning how to introduce yourself in Taiwanese Hokkien, this article will guide you through simple essential phrases and expressions to make a memorable first impression.