Meet and Greet
Greetings in Taiwan vary depending on the setting, from casual to formal. Being polite and culturally aware is key to making a great impression, so it's important to use formal phrases when in doubt. Observing body language can also be helpful—following the other person's gestures and expressions will allow you to gauge the appropriate level of formality.
| Key Concepts | ||
|---|---|---|
| 禮貌 | lǐ mào | Politeness |
| 正式語言 | zhèng shì yǔ yán | Formal phrases |
| 肢體語言 | zhī tǐ yǔ yán | Body language |
| 讚美 | zàn měi | Compliments |
| 真誠 | zhēn chéng | Sincerity |
| 友誼 | yǒu yí | Friendship |
| 工作關係 | gōng zuò guān xì | Working relationship |
| 感激 | gǎn jī | Gratitude |
| 適應環境 | shì yìng huán jìng | Adjusting to the setting |
| 建立關係 | jiàn lì guān xì | Building rapport |
| 留下好印象 | liú xià hǎo yìn xiàng | Leaving a positive impression |
Greetings
Upon first meeting, being generous with compliments while remaining sincere is a great way to initiate a friendship or foster a strong working relationship. Additionally, expressing gratitude is crucial—always remember to say 謝謝 (xiè xiè, "thank you") to show appreciation. Whether the greeting is casual or formal, adjusting to the setting helps build rapport and leave a positive impression.
Casual Settings
In informal situations like meeting friends or acquaintances, greetings are relaxed and friendly.
- 你好 (nǐ hǎo): "Hello." A simple and universal greeting.
- 嗨 (hāi): "Hi." A casual and modern greeting among friends.
- 最近好嗎？(zuì jìn hǎo ma?): "How have you been recently?" A friendly way to check in with someone.
- 再見 (zài jiàn): "Goodbye." A standard farewell phrase.
- 下次見 (xià cì jiàn): "See you next time." A warm goodbye, often implying hope to meet again.
Professional Settings
Professional greetings in Taiwan emphasize respect and formality. Politeness is crucial in workplaces, meetings, or formal gatherings.
- 您好 (nín hǎo): A formal "hello," used to show respect, especially toward elders or superiors.
- 請問您貴姓？(qǐng wèn nín guì xìng?): "May I ask your surname?" A polite and formal way to initiate introductions.
- 很高興認識您 (hěn gāo xìng rèn shì nín): "Nice to meet you." A courteous way to express pleasure at meeting someone.
- 麻煩您了 (má fán nín le): "Sorry to trouble you." Show gratitude or respect in professional interactions.
Semi-Formal Settings
Semi-formal events, such as networking or community gatherings, blend politeness with approachability.
- 你好，我叫 [名字] (nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào [míng zì]): "Hello, my name is [name]." Introduce yourself with both friendliness and formality.
- 這是我的名片 (zhè shì wǒ de míng piàn): "This is my business card." Hand over a business card with both hands as a sign of respect.
- 您好，我是 [職位] (nín hǎo, wǒ shì [zhí wèi]): "Hello, I am [position]." Introduce your professional role if relevant.
Virtual Settings
In Taiwan, online meetings are increasingly common, and virtual greetings still reflect politeness.
- 大家好 (dà jiā hǎo): "Hello, everyone." Start a virtual meeting with this inclusive greeting.
- 不好意思，我有點晚了 (bù hǎo yì sī, wǒ yǒu diǎn wǎn le): "Sorry, I'm a bit late." Apologize if you join late, maintaining a respectful tone.
- 請多指教 (qǐng duō zhǐ jiào): "Please guide me." A humble phrase to express eagerness to learn.
Addressing a Person
When addressing someone, use appropriate honorifics such as "mister" 先生 (xiān shēng) or "miss" 小姐 (xiǎo jiě). In professional or transactional contexts, titles like 醫生 (yī shēng, doctor) or 師傅 (shī fu, master) are customary. Upon meeting strangers in a formal setting, greeting them with a formal "hello" (您好 , nín hǎo) followed by a slight nod is polite. When meeting in-laws for the first time, using the honorific followed by 好 (hǎo) is common, along with a smile or handshake, but a bow is not always expected. The key is to just be at ease; even a bit of awkwardness in the beginning is to be expected, and nervousness can signal congeniality.
Basic Concepts
| Respect, Honor | 尊敬 | zūn jìng |
| Etiquette, Manners | 禮儀 | lǐ yí |
| Face, Reputation | 面子 | miàn zi |
| Politeness, Modesty | 客氣 | kè qì |
| First Meeting | 初次見面 | chū cì jiàn miàn |
| Elder, Senior | 長輩 | zhǎng bèi |
| Titles, Forms of Address | 稱謂 | chēng wèi |
| Rudeness, Disrespect | 失禮 | shī lǐ |
| Friendship, Relationship | 交情 | jiāo qíng |
| Respect for the Elderly | 尊老 | zūn lǎo |
| Congenial (Culturally) | 和藹 | hé ǎi |
Honorifics
When selecting an honorific, it is important to consider factors such as the person's age, social status, and relationship to the speaker, as using an inappropriate title can be seen as disrespectful. Additionally, some honorifics may imply familiarity or distance, so understanding the context is key to avoiding unintended offense. In addition to titles, a range of suffixes such as "您" (nín), a polite form of "you," which is used to show deference.
To Friends of Similar Age
| Friend | 朋友 (péng yǒu) | Commonly used for addressing friends or peers of the same age in a casual setting. |
| Buddy | 同學 (tóng xué) | Used when addressing classmates or peers of the same age, particularly in a school or university setting. |
| Mate | 同事 (tóng shì) | Used when addressing people of the same age in a work or professional context. |
| Brother | 兄弟 (xiōng dì) | Often used to address close male friends, similar to 'bro' or 'brother' in English. |
| Sister | 姐妹 (jiě mèi) | Often used to address close female friends, similar to 'sis' in English. |
| Little... | 小 (xiǎo) + name | A more affectionate way to address someone slightly younger, usually paired with their name, e.g., 小王 (xiǎo wáng). |
| Big... | 大 (dà) + name | A more affectionate way to address someone slightly older, usually paired with their name, e.g., 大李 (dà lǐ). |
To Strangers, by Gender & Relative Age
| Child (Male or Female) | 小朋友 (xiǎo péng yǒu) | Polite term for children, means 'little friend.' |
| Teenager (Male) | 小弟 (xiǎo dì) | Informal; means 'little brother,' used for teenage boys. |
| Teenager (Female) | 小妹 (xiǎo mèi) | Informal; means 'little sister,' used for teenage girls. |
| Young Adult (Male) | 小哥 (xiǎo gē) | Informal; means 'young brother,' used for younger men. |
| Young Adult (Female) | 小姐 (xiǎo jiě) | Equivalent to 'Miss,' used for younger or unmarried women. |
| Adult Male | 先生 (xiān shēng) | Equivalent to 'Mr.,' used for adult men. |
| Adult Female | 太太 (tài tài) | Equivalent to 'Mrs.,' used for married women. |
| Middle-Aged Male | 大哥 (dà gē) | Informal; means 'big brother,' used respectfully for middle-aged men. |
| Middle-Aged Female | 大姐 (dà jiě) | Informal; means 'big sister,' used respectfully for middle-aged women. |
| Older Male | 大叔 (dà shū) | Informal; means 'uncle,' used respectfully for older men. |
| Older Female | 阿姨 (ā yí) | Informal; means 'auntie,' used respectfully for older women. |
| Elderly Male | 伯伯 (bó bo) | Polite and endearing term for an elderly man, akin to 'grandpa.' |
| Elderly Female | 奶奶 (nǎi nai) | Polite and endearing term for an elderly woman, akin to 'grandma.' |
For Relatives
The variety of honorifics for Chinese relatives reflects the cultural emphasis on hierarchy, respect (尊敬, zūn jìng), and family roles. These terms distinguish relationships based on age and generational position (輩分, bèi fèn), ensuring respect is shown to elders (長輩, zhǎng bèi) and reinforcing family dynamics and social harmony (社會和諧, shè huì hé xié).
| Father | 爸爸 (bà ba) | Common term for father. |
| Mother | 媽媽 (mā ma) | Common term for mother. |
| Older Brother | 哥哥 (gē ge) | Older brother. |
| Younger Brother | 弟弟 (dì di) | Younger brother. |
| Older Sister | 姐姐 (jiě jie) | Older sister. |
| Younger Sister | 妹妹 (mèi mei) | Younger sister. |
| Grandfather (Paternal) | 爺爺 (yé ye) | Paternal grandfather. |
| Grandmother (Paternal) | 奶奶 (nǎi nai) | Paternal grandmother. |
| Grandfather (Maternal) | 外公 (wài gōng) | Maternal grandfather. |
| Grandmother (Maternal) | 外婆 (wài pó) | Maternal grandmother. |
| Uncle (Paternal) | 叔叔 (shū shu) | Younger paternal uncle. |
| Uncle (Paternal, Older) | 伯伯 (bó bo) | Older paternal uncle. |
| Aunt (Paternal) | 嬸嬸 (shěn shen) | The wife of a paternal uncle. |
| Aunt (Maternal) | 阿姨 (ā yí) | Maternal aunt. |
| Uncle (Maternal) | 乾爹 (gān diē) | Maternal uncle. |
| Nephew | 侄子 (zhí zi) | Son of one's brother. |
| Niece | 侄女 (zhí nǚ) | Daughter of one's brother. |
| Cousin (Male, Paternal) | 堂哥 (táng gē) | Male cousin from the paternal side. |
| Cousin (Female, Paternal) | 堂妹 (táng mèi) | Female cousin from the paternal side. |
| Cousin (Male, Maternal) | 表哥 (biǎo gē) | Male cousin from the maternal side. |
| Cousin (Female, Maternal) | 表妹 (biǎo mèi) | Female cousin from the maternal side. |
By Profession
On a first-term basis, addressing people by their profession is a common with transactional exchanges. For the full list of occupational titles, reference our glossary of occupations.