Taiwan: What Surprised You ONLY After You Got There?
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In Taipei, peanuts are called 'huasheng,' not 'tudou'.
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Peanuts are just called 'huasheng,' but if someone says 'tudou,' they definitely mean peanuts (not potatoes).
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Braised pork rice for over 100 NTD? That's only about 20-something RMB. How is that 'absurdly expensive'?
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I don't think I've ever had braised pork rice (luroufan) that cost more than 100 NTD. As far as I know, the most expensive is Formosa Chang's, but most places charge under 50 NTD. Also, in northern Taiwan, it's called 'luroufan,' while in the south, it's 'rouzaofan' (minced pork rice). What southerners call 'luroufan' actually comes with a piece of Dongpo pork on top, which northerners would call 'kongroufan' (braised pork belly rice).
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A lot of that is just nonsense. You can find tea-leaf eggs for 10 NTD. And it's not that mobile payments aren't mature; it's partly to accommodate elderly people who aren't comfortable using smartphones.
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It's more accurate to say mobile payments aren't universally adopted; many small food stalls don't offer them.
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Please stop spreading misinformation! ❻ Mobile payments are available almost everywhere unless you're in a really remote area. ❾ Peanuts are 'huasheng'; I've never heard them called 'tudou' (when referring to peanuts). ❶❶ Crayfish seem like a hassle to eat; in Taiwan, we usually go for Boston lobster. ❶❷ Phone bills are paid monthly; we don't really 'top up' credit. ❶❹ It's not that people don't like eggs; high egg prices are due to price gouging. Adding an egg to your toast at a breakfast shop costs an extra 15-20 NTD. ❷❷ Public phones are mainly for tourists or foreign workers to make calls; Taiwanese people rarely use them.
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There are indeed quite a few inaccuracies.
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In Taiwan, service staff address men as 'xiansheng' (Mr./Sir) and women as 'xiaojie' (Miss/Ms.). They generally don't call customers 'fuwuyuan' (attendant).
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I didn't understand what you said.
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Why do I find reading traditional Chinese characters so easy?
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It's because you see them in context (connected). If you saw them individually, it might be a bit more challenging.
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Why is 'Qilixiang' (common jasmine orange / chicken butt) called that?
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So, does that mean crayfish are relatively scarce in Taiwan?
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Are Jin (Gold), Mu (Wood), Shui (Water), Huo (Fire), Tu (Earth), Jia, Yi, Bing, and Ding all actual surnames? I've never come across them.
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Yes, they are. I had elementary school classmates with the surnames Jin and Ding.
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Taiwanese streets? Chongqing Road? Which city or county in Taiwan actually has a Chongqing Road? Does anyone know?
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Banqiao.