Phrases That Make Taiwanese People Go: 'Wait, WHAT?!'
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If I said 'the respected Director Dai needs me to work overtime,' it would definitely be sarcastic too.
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I also really hate it when people call me 'xiǎojiějiě' (小姐姐 - little big sister). If it's a business contact, it's unprofessional. If it's a stranger, it's impolite and too flippant.
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Exactly, the internet teaches all sorts of nonsense. When I'm in mainland China, I don't even know how to address unfamiliar women anymore.
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What you call 'jiǔdiàn' (酒店 - hotel), we [in Taiwan] usually call 'fàndiàn' (飯店) for accommodation. 'Lǚguǎn' (旅館) usually refers to lower-grade lodging.
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Lower-grade lodging in mainland China is called 'zhāodàisuǒ' (招待所 - guesthouse). Regular accommodation is 'bīnguǎn' (宾馆). Not that many people actually say 'jiǔdiàn' (酒店) [for accommodation].
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Your terms sound so old-fashioned... and you get shocked too easily. In mainland China, nothing really fazes us because there are so many provinces, and we're very aware that language habits differ everywhere. We wouldn't be shocked by a non-local usage.
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Mhmm, yeah. Someone above mentioned going for an interview at a Taiwanese company, being called 'Miss C,' and said it was terribly cringeworthy.
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Oh, give me a break! I went for an interview at a Taiwanese company, and they called me 'Miss X.' I almost died of cringe!
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Where I am, everyone, regardless of age, is just called 'jiějiě' (姐姐 - older sister).
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It's because 'xiānsheng' (先生 - Mr./sir) corresponds to 'nǚshì' (女士 - Ms./madam). 'Xiǎojiě' (小姐 - Miss) kind of pairs with 'xiǎogē' (小哥 - young man/bro), which feels a bit neither here nor there, too casual.
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Nobody actually says 'xiǎogē' (小哥 - young man/bro). 'Xiǎogē' is only for Fei Yu-ching, okay?
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So, what are Taiwanese 'jiǔdiàn' (酒店 - places for drinking and business entertainment) called in mainland China?
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A mainland netizen just commented, saying 'nightclubs' (夜店 - yèdiàn).
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If you're on the street and don't know how to address someone, just say 'Nǐ hǎo' (你好 - hello) + 'Bù hǎoyìsi' (不好意思 - excuse me). Simple and easy.
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Just call out 'Měinǚ!' (美女 - beautiful woman).
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You guys [in mainland China] might say 'lǎopó' (老婆 - wife), 'nǚpéngyǒu' (女朋友 - girlfriend), or 'xífù' (媳妇 - wife/daughter-in-law). But for us [in Taiwan], 'xífù' (媳妇) is typically how parents-in-law refer to their daughter-in-law (as 'érxífù' or 'xífù'). Husbands just call their wives 'lǎopó' (老婆).
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Actually, this also varies by region. Plenty of people say 'lǎopó' (老婆 - wife). Different places have many different terms.