Photo: Lisanto 李奕良 (Unsplash License)
Around 23 million people live in Taiwan, and Mandarin is widely spoken across the island. · 2 writing systems
Language of Taiwan
Taiwan is a lively island in East Asia, full of friendly people who mostly speak Mandarin Chinese. You might also hear Taiwanese Hokkien and other regional languages here. Each language adds its own special flavor to Taiwan's culture. Let's dive into the wonderful world of languages spoken across this beautiful island!
About the Script
In Taiwan, people use Traditional Chinese characters, which are detailed and artistic. It takes practice to learn them, but they tell a lot of stories and history.
Script Explorer
Traditional Chinese
A complex character system used for writing Mandarin and other Chinese languages. 20 most common of 2,000+
Bopomofo
A system using special symbols to show how Mandarin sounds, helping kids learn pronunciation.
Phrase Cards
Fun Fact
The Taiwanese language has words and phrases from Japanese, due to historical influences.
Fun Fact
In 2009, Taiwan made English classes compulsory in elementary schools to foster a bilingual society.
Cultural Note
In Taiwan, Traditional Chinese characters are cherished for their beauty and cultural importance, setting them apart from the Simplified Chinese characters used in Mainland China.
Vocabulary
While Mandarin is the most common language in Taiwan, did you know that many Taiwanese people can also speak Taiwanese Hokkien, which shares similarities with languages spoken in Southern Fujian in China?