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  4. Phrases That Make Taiwanese People Go: 'Wait, WHAT?!'

Phrases That Make Taiwanese People Go: 'Wait, WHAT?!'

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  • A Offline
    A Offline
    Anita Wiza
    wrote last edited by
    #6

    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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    • B Offline
      B Offline
      Beatrice Thiel
      wrote last edited by
      #7

      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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      • F Offline
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        Felix Glover
        wrote last edited by
        #8

        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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        • K Offline
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          Kendra Howe
          wrote last edited by
          #9

          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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          • D Offline
            D Offline
            Daisy Hermiston
            wrote last edited by
            #10

            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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            • J Offline
              J Offline
              Joseph Thompson
              wrote last edited by
              #11

              Where I am, everyone, regardless of age, is just called 'jiějiě' (姐姐 - older sister).

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              • P Offline
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                Pat Pagac
                wrote last edited by
                #12

                Can a 40-year-old guy call a 20-year-old girl 'jiějiě' (older sister)?

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                • K Offline
                  K Offline
                  Kathryn Heller
                  wrote last edited by
                  #13

                  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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                  • L Offline
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                    Leslie Kunde
                    wrote last edited by
                    #14

                    Nobody actually says 'xiǎogē' (小哥 - young man/bro). 'Xiǎogē' is only for Fei Yu-ching, okay?

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                    • L Offline
                      L Offline
                      Lorena Runolfsson
                      wrote last edited by
                      #15

                      So, what are Taiwanese 'jiǔdiàn' (酒店 - places for drinking and business entertainment) called in mainland China?

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                      • H Offline
                        H Offline
                        Howard Legros
                        wrote last edited by
                        #16

                        A mainland netizen just commented, saying 'nightclubs' (夜店 - yèdiàn).

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                        • M Offline
                          M Offline
                          Marcos Goodwin
                          wrote last edited by
                          #17

                          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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                          • M Offline
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                            Marcos Goodwin
                            wrote last edited by
                            #18

                            Just call out 'Měinǚ!' (美女 - beautiful woman).

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                            • E Offline
                              E Offline
                              Eunice Rutherford
                              wrote last edited by
                              #19

                              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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                              • E Offline
                                E Offline
                                Elsa Wyman
                                wrote last edited by
                                #20

                                Actually, this also varies by region. Plenty of people say 'lǎopó' (老婆 - wife). Different places have many different terms.

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