Hokkien/Common Phrases
< Hokkien
Chinese, Min Nan / Taiwanese (Sinitic)
editThe Han characters provided below are for reference and are consistent with the Taiwanese Minnan Recommended Hanzi Usage (台灣閩南語推薦用字) which has been promoted by the government of Taiwan. Individual usage may vary from speaker to speaker based on preference.
| Translation | Characters | Romanization | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Min Nan | 閩南語 | Bân-lâm-gú | |
| Taiwanese | 臺灣話 | Tâi-oân-oē | |
| Hokkien | 福建話 | Hok-kiàn-oē | |
| Hello. | 食飽未? | Chia̍h pá boeh? | (literally, Eaten full yet? Note: This greeting came about at a time when most of Taiwan was in poverty, so to say that one has had enough to eat would be to imply that the person is “doing well”.) |
| Goodbye. | 平安 | Pêng-an. | (literally, Peace, can also be used as a greeting; primarily Christian usage.) |
| Please | 拜託 | Pài-thok | |
| Thank you | 勞力 | Ló·-la̍t | 感謝 (Kám-siā) (literally, "be grateful for, praise") or 感恩 (Kám-ún) is more common in Taiwan. |
| That one | 彼个 | Hit-ê | |
| how much? | 偌濟? | goā choē? | |
| is | 是 | Sī | |
| not | 毋是 | m̄-sī | (literally, "not is") |
| Sorry | 失禮 | Sit-le | |
| Embarrassed! | 歹勢! | Pháiⁿ-sè! | (often used in response when offered/given something by a host) |
| I don't understand. | 我聽無. | Goá thiaⁿ bô. | (literally, "I hear not") |
| Where's the bathroom? | 便所佇佗? | Piān-só· tī toh? | (literally "bathroom is where?") |
| Cheers! | 予焦啦! | Hō· ta lah! | (literally, Let it [the cup/glass] be dry [empty]!) |
| Do you speak English? | 你敢講英語? | Lí kám kóng Eng-gú? |