Mandarin Chinese is the official language of Taiwan and is otherwise known as Guoyu.
Taiwan’s version offers only negligible or technical differences to the version employed in Mainland China following Mandarin’s official adoption in the 1950. The language’s reach sees it crop up in places with ethnic Chinese communities: Malaysia, Singapore and so forth.
Read More: Heading to Malaysia? Perhaps knowing a little Malay will help.
As is the way with EITM’s language primers, don’t consider this guide definitive. It’s not; it’s barely even correct, and the [redacted] cannot, in good conscience, condone its usage in the real world. Far be it from us to suggest adding a touch of chaos by disregarding such advice, of course.
This material was gleaned from exploring Taipei and, as such, should be viewed through the prism of jetlag, neon lights, unending rainfall and the associated discombobulation arising therefrom. Where possible, the words are phonetic, which will no doubt contribute to their inaccuracy in this list.
Beware the herald:
| English | Mandarin |
| Excuse me | Quing wen (getting attention) / Dar-ow yixyah (begging pardon) |
| Hello | Nee how |
| How are you? | Nee how ma? |
| Fine, thank you | Nee how, shieh shieh |
| Thank you | Shieh shieh |
| Please | Qǐng |
| You’re welcome | Boo kuhchi |
| I don’t understand | Wuh boo dong |
| Yes | Shay da |
| No | Boo |
| Good | Howder |
| Bad | Hwayder |
| Goodbye | Zhai jian |
| Good morning | Zhowshung how |
| Good afternoon | Ziaow wuhow |
| Good evening | Wanshung how |
| Good night | Wah nan |
| What’s your name? | Nee jiow shenmuh ningzuh? |
| My name is (Thomm) | Woh de mingzuh shuh (Thomm)mu |
| I come from (Dili) | Woh laiza (Dili) |
| Where is (the temple)? | (Simiyow) zay nahlee? |
| Temple | Simiyow |
| Over there | Zay nah bien |
| Airport | Fayjee chung |
| Hotel | Chojien |
| Restaurant | Tanching |
| Bar | Teobah |
| Very beautiful | Hen peow-liung |
| How much? | Duwuh shauw |
| Too expensive | Tie gway luh |
| Make it cheaper | Pian yee yee dian |
| Check please | My dahn |
| I want (beer) | Woh yow (peejeeoh) |
| Beer | Peejeeoh |
| Water | Shway |
| Cigarettes | Sheeung yen |
| A room | Fung cheeyen |
| Ticket | Pyee ow |
| Food | Shay woo |
| Drink | Her |
| Chicken | Jyee |
| Fish | Yuh |
| Rice | Bai fahn |
| Noodles | Meeyen tee-ow |
| Delicious | Meiwei duh |
| What’s the score? | Fenshoo shih duashow? |
| I like your nose | Woh sheehwun nee duh bizza |
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