A beginner’s guide to Taiwanese English

Taiwan’s most widely-used language is Mandarin Chinese, the language of government and industry.

Taiwanese is also widely spoken, especially here in the south.

There’s also Hakka, 16 officially-recognized indigenous languages, two recognized dialects, and of course Taiwanese Sign Language.

English isn’t official, but English words are used liberally in everyday life. Just not in the way you might expect…

Here are 25 of the Taiwanese English terms I’ve picked up these past few years, along with their definitions:

APP

Literally an app, but pronounced “A-P-P”.

“Have you installed your bank’s APP?”

business hotel

A budget hotel, not for business travelers.

“I’d avoid that business hotel.”

bye-bye

Bai-bai (拜拜) is Chinese for goodbye. But to non-Chinese speakers, it sounds like the gentle, high-pitched way someone would say “bye-bye” to a baby.

“See you next time, bye-bye!”

car

Can literally mean a car, but also other types of transport including trucks, vans, and scooters.

“It started raining when I was riding my car.”

cheese

Refers to any cheese, plus cream cheese. So you’ll often see a dessert listed as something like “cheese pie” or “cake with cheese”.

“Try our milk tea with cheese!”

cherish

Used almost universally to mean appreciated, liked, or valued.

“I cherish having good tires on my scooter.”

CP

Short for “Cost–Performance” (derived from “cost–performance ratio”), CP is a measure of value for money.

“The food was fine, but it had bad CP.”

elevator building

An apartment building that has one or more elevators, as opposed to a walk-up. “Elevator building” generally also implies a managed entrance with reception or security staff, and on-site building management.

“Do you live in an elevator building?”

french fries

Literally any type of potato fries, regardless of shape, size, or thickness. Includes potato wedges and waffle fries.

“Do you want sweet chili sauce and sour cream with your french fries?”

friendly copy

An illegal (copyright-infringing) download.

“Have you seen ‘Project Hail Mary’? I can get you a friendly copy.”

IG

Instagram (or Instagram username).

“What’s your IG?”

KOL

An influencer. Short for “Key Opinion Leader”.

“My sister’s trying to become a KOL.”

leave

Pass away; die.

“My cat left this week.”

milk tea

A generic term for tea with milk, bubble tea, and similar drinks—even if they don’t contain tea.

“Do you want some milk tea?”

motel

Often, but not always, the equivalent of a sex hotel in Japan. Also popular for people to book as a (sexual or platonic) party venue.

“Last time I stayed at a motel, my suite had a steam room and a mirrored ceiling.”

poly

Polystyrene.

“There was too much poly in the box.”

PU

Polyurethane sheeting.

“I ran out of PU when I was getting ready for the typhoon.”

QQ

A chewy, bouncy texture in food (like chewy noodles or the tapioca balls in bubble tea, a.k.a. QQ balls).

“I love their QQ balls!”

see you tomorrow

The everyday name for the Enoki mushroom, commonly offered at hotpot restaurants. The name references how it moves intact through your digestive system…

“Would you like more see you tomorrow?”

set

A combo meal at a restaurant (not just fast-food restaurants, but any restaurant that offers a sides with a main dish).

“Do you want it on its own, or do you want a set?”

SNG car

A TV news van. Short for “Satellite News Gathering”.

Did you see the SNG car outside your building?

stay

Synonymous with “live”, and therefore used for both long-term residence and short-term stays. It comes from a direct translation of zhu (住), which covers both “stay” and “live”.

“Where do you stay?”
“I stay in Lingya District. I’ve stayed there for three years.”

toast

Thick, soft bread, regardless of whether it’s fresh or toasted. There’s no concept of “toast” specifically as toasted bread.

“The menu only has garlic toast and chocolate toast.”

3C

A catch-all term for tech and electronics products, the three C’s stand for “Computers, Communication, and Consumer electronics”.

“Where’s the nearest 3C store?”

3Q

A playful way to say “thank you”. “Three” in Chinese is pronounced “sān”, so “sān Q” sounds like “thank you”. Kinda barely just.

“I love this gift. 3Q very much!”