Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 11/02/2026Interestingly, Taiwanese and Amoy Hokkien have a similar word for “stingy”— 凍霜 “tàng-sng” which literally means “freezing cold to the point of frost” 凍霜 doesn’t feel as poignant as 孤寒 but it reminds me of another famous Tang Poem 楓橋夜泊 by 張繼 020
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 11/02/2026Of all the Chinese words for “stingy; miserly” (and there are many if you look up Wiktionary under 吝嗇 dialectal synonyms), my favorite is probably the Cantonese word 孤寒 “gu1 hon4” 孤寒 literally means “alone and cold” which I find poignant even poetic and reminds me of this Tang poem 江雪 by 柳宗元 140
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 12/11/2025This reminds me of another poem from the Book of Songs《詩經》國風：王風 · 黍離 知我者、謂我心憂， 不知我者、謂我何求。 悠悠蒼天、此何人哉。 Those who know me, whisper I bear sorrows; Those who don’t know me, ask what I seek. O distant Heaven, tell me what man (has brought us to this despair). 0163
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 26/10/2025Ok I was wondering because the architecture of the houses doesn't look like the traditional Minnan style in Fujian (red bricks, adobe, & sloping, tile-covered roof). They look more like traditional houses one might see in Jiangsu except some of the details like the windows look "new" or remodeled 100
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 25/10/2025I love Cantonese-Mandarin 粤式普通話 For example, 這是什麼來的 (what is this?) which ends with 來的 is not standard Mandarin from the north, but Mandarin influenced by the Cantonese construction 呢個係乜嘢嚟嘅 (what is this?) in which 嚟嘅 (synonym of 來的) serves as a modal particle to strengthen the tone of the sentence 030
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 25/10/2025My favorite use of 嗨： 自嗨 or 自high (“self-high”) 😅 This term started out as an internet slang around 2010 and is now widely used colloquially with a range of meanings—to get excited or hyper by oneself; to amuse or have fun by oneself; being self-indulgent or narcissistic 川普自嗨 Trump “self-high” 033
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 23/10/2025A big pet peeve of mine: using the character 游 for 遊 (旅游 instead of 旅遊) The original form of this word “travel” in oracle bone and bronze inscriptions is 斿 (a child holding a flag and traveling) Later scripts added 辶 (walk) → 遊 (travel) and 氵(water) → 游 (swimming) to differentiate the two meanings 010
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 16/10/2025Left: Chinese-English dictionary of the vernacular or spoken language of Amoy (1899) 唱 chhiàng: “to call out with a loud voice in a formal manner” Right: Taiwanese-Japanese Dictionary 台日大辭典 (1932) by 小川尚義 chhiàng 唱 （語源應該是ùi官話轉變來。) (1)唱(chhiùⁿ)。 (2)講明。 (3)大聲hoah。 (4)(漳)＝[唱(chhiòng)]，提倡。 000
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 16/10/2025In Taiwan, the Mandarin term 嗆聲 qiàng shēng or simply 嗆 means “to loudly provoke or confront” TIL 嗆聲 is actually derived from the Taiwanese term 唱聲 chhiàng-siaⁿ which means “to threaten” In Hokkien, chhiàng (唱) means “to call out with a loud voice” 142
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 14/10/2025Yeah I went down this rabbit (or elephant) hole also 😅 Vạn Tượng (萬象) in Vietnamese originally referred to the Lan Xang Kingdom (1354–1707; Lao: ລ້ານຊ້າງ, lān sāng, "million elephants") Qing transliterated Lan Xang as 南掌. During Ming it was called 老撾 which is the name PRC uses for Laos 皇清職貢圖/南掌國 072
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 13/10/2025The historical Laotian kingdom of Lān Xāng Hôm Khāo (1352-1707) translates to “The Million Elephants and the White Parasol” Lān Xāng Hôm Khāo is one romanization of the Lao name ລ້ານຊ້າງຮົ່ມຂາວ ([lâːn sâːŋ hōmkʰǎːw]), meaning “the Million Elephants and the White Parasol” 010
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 13/10/2025Vietnamese translations of the capital of Loas, Vientiane (Lao: ວຽງຈັນ, wīang chan): Viêng Chăn Etymology: from Lao ວຽງຈັນ (wīang chan) Vạn Tượng Etymology: Sino-Vietnamese word 萬象; place name for Lānsāng Homkhāo (ລ້ານຊ້າງ, Lānsāng, 瀾滄), referring to the historical Laotian kingdom Lan Xang Hom Khao 110
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 10/10/2025Interestingly, while Americium (Am) was discovered by Glenn Seaborg and his team during the Manhattan Project, it was not named after USA. It was named after the Americas because its analogous place in the actinide series is located under the lanthanide element europium (Eu) in the periodic table 000
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 10/10/2025Only 6 elements are directly named after countries. Somehow France (Gallia) got named twice😅 Francium (Fr): 鍅 Fǎ (TW); 钫 fānɡ (CN) Gallium (Ga): 鎵/镓 jiā Germanium (Ge): 鍺/锗 zhě Nihonium (Nh): 鉨/鿭 nǐ Polonium (Po): 釙/钋 pō Ruthenium (Ru): 釕/钌 liǎo 100
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 10/10/2025鈤 (rì) would’ve been a good choice if IUPAC ever named a chemical element Japanium. But a team at Japan's RIKEN research institute discovered a synthetic element in 2004 and proposed Nihonium in honor of Japan. Nihonium was officially approved by IUPAC in 2016 and is translated as 鉨 (nǐ) in Chinese 031
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 08/10/2025In 1722 黃叔璥 Huang Shujing, a Mandarin-speaking Qing official, arrived Taiwan where he spent 2 years. He recorded in 臺海使槎錄 “Records from the mission to Taiwan and its Strait” (1736) how the language spoken by Taiwanese was totally unintelligible—like barbarian gibberish and birds talking (鴃舌鳥語，全不可曉) 042
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 08/10/2025While 鳥語 "bird speech" is considered a derogatory term when referring to speech or language of foreign peoples and southern Sinetic languages, the idiom 鳥語花香* (birds are singing and flowers are fragrant) is used to describe beautiful scenery, especially in spring *first used by Song poet 呂本中 012
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 08/10/2025In 1722 黃叔璥 Huang Shujing, a Mandarin-speaking Qing official, arrived Taiwan where he spent 2 years. He recorded in 臺海使槎錄 “Records from the mission to Taiwan and its Strait” (1736) how the language spoken by Taiwanese was totally unintelligible—like barbarian gibberish and birds talking (鴃舌鳥語，全不可曉) 041
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 07/10/2025In Hokkien/Taiwanese, bô-siáⁿ-mih 無啥物 (not have what) is used to mean “it doesn’t matter; that’s all right; never mind” (synonymous with 沒什麼 or 沒關係 in Mandarin) In Mandarin, méishénme 沒什麼 (have not what; nothing) can also be used to mean “don’t mention it; it’s a pleasure; you’re welcome” 000
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 02/10/2025The “original” character (本字) for tháu in Hokkien/Taiwanese and tau2 in Cantonese is likely 㪗 which means “to open” (漢典/集韻：他口切，展也) Interestingly, 㪗氣/敨氣 in Cantonese “tau2 hei3” means “to breathe” while in Hokkien “tháu-khuì” means “to to vent one's feelings; to get something off one’s chest” 031
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 02/10/2025Wait, I just learned 早唞 (zou2 tau2) in Cantonese, besides meaning good night or take an early rest, can also be used to tell someone who’s really annoying to piss off; drop dead; shut up; go away Somehow I am not surprised 😅😆 110
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 02/10/2025Tang poet Liu Yuxi 劉禹錫 (772–842) wrote in 秋詞 "Autumn Song" 自古逢秋悲寂寥 我言秋日勝春朝 晴空一鶴排雲上 便引詩情到碧霄 Since ancient times, autumns are met with sadness and loneliness I say autumn days outshine spring morns As a crane soars above the clouds in clear skies My poetic sentiments are drawn to the azure heavens 0162
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 29/09/2025The three uses of 港 (káng) in Taiwanese, attested in the 1932 Taiwanese-Japanese dictionary 台日大辭典 by 小川尚義 (1)靠船ê所在。 (2)大川。 (3)孔縫抑是管(kóng)出來ê風或水。 例句：(3)一港水; 一港風。 000
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 29/09/2025Interestingly, 港 (káng) in Taiwanese, besides meaning harbor (most common) or stream (dated), is also used as a classifier for fluids like water or wind which coincidentally is similar to how “stream” is used as a measure word in English (eg, a stream of tears) Example 台語：電風捘(tsūn)較細港一下 華語：電風扇轉小一點 100
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 28/09/2025Speaking of which, here is a sign in Hong Kong using the variant character 噐 (器 Jyutping: hei3) 港九電噐工程電業噐材職工會 H.K. & KLN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING & APPLIANCES TRADE WORKERS UNION I love how 噐 is used here, perhaps to emphasize the workers 職工 062
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 26/09/2025Came across this Japanese version of 古今萬國綱鑑錄 by 模禮菘 (Morrison) published in 1874 模禮菘 is John Robert Morrison (aka 馬儒翰 1814-1843), son of Robert Morrison (馬禮遜 1782-1834) British missionary to Portuguese Macao and Qing Canton, who collaborated with Prussian/German missionary Karl Gützlaff (1803-1851) 030
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 25/09/2025TIL the Mongolian word тайван is a loan word from Chinese 太平 (tàipíng) and it means “peace,” “calmness,” and “tranquility” Interestingly, in Bulgarian “Тайван” means Taiwan. These two words are unrelated and just happened to have the same spelling in Cyrillic So in that spirit, тайван No. 1 😉 110
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 22/09/2025Interestingly, in the 1849 publication 英漢歷 (Anglo-Chinese Calendar), the Oriental Bank (in Canton) was translated as 銀房 under the list of foreigners living in Canton (Guangzhou), China. The person in charge of the bank branch was Archibald Dunlop 011
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 22/09/2025The first foreign bank to enter China was Oriental Bank, a British imperial bank first founded in India as Bank of Western India (1842) which opened branches in Hong Kong (1845), Canton (1845) & Shanghai (1847), etc, and later used the Chinese names 東藩滙理銀行 (HK) & 麗如銀行 (China) HK banknote (c. 1866) 121
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 22/09/2025In Taiwan we say 化妝粉 (cosmetic powder). I’m not sure anyone in sinosphere say 面粉 for face powder. What probably happened was that they translated face powder in English into simplified Chinese 面粉 and then converted 面粉 into traditional Chinese 麵粉 Btw 阿烏*拉麵*粉 is a mistranslation for Aura Face Powder😅 010
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 21/09/2025Love these ideographic compound variant characters for "Buddha" 佛(仏) 西域哲人 Sage of the Western Region 自覺 Self-awakening or enlightenment 西國人 Person of the Western Kingdom 西天人 Person of the Western Heaven 天國人 Person of the Heavenly Kingdom 😇 Image from: 白玉庵 account on Twitter @Hakugyokuan 001
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 14/09/2025Saisiyat (賽夏語): ma'alo' = thanks (謝謝) Root word 'alo' = blessings (祝福) Source: 台灣原住民族語言線上辭典 e-dictionary.ilrdf.org.tw/home 010
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 14/09/2025Okay, hear me out. In Hawaiian, Mahalo means thanks. In Taiwan’s indigenous Saisiyat (賽夏), ma'alo' means thanks and it comes from the root word 'alo' meaning blessing. In Hawaiian, it’s Aloha (good wishes) 📷 Austronesian Languages (Cognation & Comparison) FB 240
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 13/09/2025A wild Rose of Sharon at the trail I learned today the Rose of Sharon is native to southern China, Taiwan, and India. It was introduced to Europe in the 16th century. The name “rose of Sharon” first appeared in the Song of Solomon 2:1 (KJV, 1611) #沙崙玫瑰 020
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 10/09/2025The name 映日果 iòng-ji̍t-kó is from Middle Chinese, 'angX nyit kwaX, a transliteration of Persian انجیر (anjir, “fig”) plus Middle Chinese 果 (kwaX, “fruit”). It's thought that figs were introduced to China from Iran possibly via India around 1000 years ago 010
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 10/09/2025In Taiwanese, figs are called 無花果 bû-hua-kó. Some people in Taiwan also call them 映日果 iòng-ji̍t-kó or 文仙果 bûn-sian-kó Both 無花果 and 映日果 were attested in the Taiwanese-Japanese dictionary 臺日大辭典 (1932) by 小川尚義 100
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 10/09/2025Friend brought over some figs grown in their backyard. They are so good! 😊 #無花果 台語：bû-hua-kó 120
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 04/09/2025Both 伴手 (phuānn-tshiú) and 等路 (tán-lōo) were attested in the 1932 Taiwanese-Japanese dictionary 臺日大辭典 by 小川尚義 020
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 04/09/2025In Taiwan 伴手禮 refers to gifts, usually local specialties bought on a trip that one brings back. 伴手禮 is derived from the Taiwanese term “phuānn-tshiú” 伴手 (gift) Another similar Taiwanese term is “tán-lōo” 等路 (gift) which is the word our family used 140
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 01/09/2025“Home is where the heart is at peace” 此心安處是吾鄉 —from a poem by Song poet Su Shi 蘇軾 (1037–1101) 常羨人間琢玉郎，天應乞與點酥娘。盡道清歌傳皓齒，風起，雪飛炎海變清涼。 萬裡歸來顏愈少，微笑，笑時猶帶嶺梅香。試問嶺南應不好，卻道：此心安處是吾鄉。 宋 · 蘇軾《定風波 · 南海歸贈王定國侍人寓娘》 030
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 22/08/2025火 was then added during Han to form the regular script (楷書) 爐 which is the character that has been used to this day in which 火 (“fire”) is considered the “radical”. But when one examines the evolution of this word/character, to me it's not that simple to say Chinese characters have only one radical 110
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 22/08/2025Here's another one to think about 爐 (“oven”) which is considered a 形聲字: semantic 火 (“fire”) + phonetic 盧 (OC *b·raː). But originally it was written as 盧 which itself was originally a pictogram (象形) of an oven; 虍 and 皿 were added in the bronze inscriptions, and the oven pictogram came to be written 田 110
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 30/07/2025The earliest known use of the term 津波 (tsunami) is said to be 駿府政事錄 by 後藤小三郎光次 which documented the 1611 Keicho Oshu (or Sanriku) earthquake and tsunami During Edo period, other terms like 海立、震汐、海嘯 were also used. Nowadays 津波 is most commonly used @egasmb.bsky.social 072
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 30/07/2025TIL the Japanese named it tsunami 津波 (lit: harbor wave) because fishermen didn’t notice the tsunami passing them in the ocean until they returned to the harbor and found their village totally devastated by the full force of the waves hitting shallow waters 184
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 27/07/2025Also I think it's noteworthy that the context is one of the King who received Heaven's blessing, the great mandate. Thus Heaven watched over (King's) sons 王若曰：盂！不(丕)顯玟(文)王，受天有大令(命)，....古(故)天異(翼)臨子，灋(法)保先王，匍(敷)*有亖(四)方。 *this graph is partially missing, but a similar (or same) phrase appears earlier 021
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 27/07/2025Yeah I was literally just reading 大盂鼎銘文 (early 10th c. BC) which contains both of these expressions: 灋保先王 勿灋朕令 It’s so fascinating how 灋 is used here in this inscription, seemingly with different meanings and thus open to different interpretations: 灋保先王 (灋通作廢，大也 vs 灋 as 效法) 勿灋朕令 (灋通作廢 as in 背棄) 110
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 26/07/2025Interesting thread on the “original” (pre-Han) meaning of 灋 In bronze inscription 灋 meant “to follow the example of” (效法); later (during Spring & Autumn and Warring States) it was also used as a homophonic substitute (通作) for 廢 which meant “great” (大) or “abandon” (背棄) depending on the context 130
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 25/07/2025Si tuviera que morir mil veces allí quiero morir: si tuviera que nacer mil veces allí quiero , cerca de la araucaria salvaje, del vendaval del viento sur, de las campanas recién compradas. Pablo Neruda "Que despierte el leñador" 若我必須死上一千次 我願死在那裡 若我必須生上一千次 我願誕生在那裡 我那小小多山的國家 焚－鄭南榕殉道二十周年紀錄片 (2009) 010
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 23/07/2025Interestingly, the original meaning of the character 吃 (⿰口乞 or ⿰口气) means “to stutter” in which the phonetic component 乞 (气) could also add part of the meaning since it has the phonetically borrowed meaning of "begging" (i.e., trying to talk but with difficulties) 151
Ted @tedzu.bsky.social · 14/07/2025Note also 日臺小辭典 (1908) used the variant character 欝 instead of 鬱 000
![日大辭典 (1932) by 小川尚義
chhiàng 唱
（語源應該是ùi官話轉變來。) (1)唱(chhiùⁿ)。 (2)講明。 (3)大聲hoah。 (4)(漳)＝[唱(chhiòng)]，提倡。
https://taigi.fhl.net/dict/gm.php?fn=B/B0150.png](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:tm2ojwvllw4vclsyq2752xd4/bafkreigddvfeg4dimtt623tkbylfqukogctxfrftlembyp5usubtma3cpq)
