In Taiwan, (2/28) is a day to remember February 28, 1947 when violent suppression by government forces led to the massacre of tens of thousands of ordinary citizens. In this episode, we’ve talked about where in Taiwan to visit for more info about 2/28 and the White Terror period. Also, in the spirit of freedom of speech, we talked about basic ways to express your point of view, and how to show agreement or disagreement in Taiwanese.
(These show notes use tables and rich formatting. Please visit the episode webpage for an optimal viewing experience.)
| TAIWANESE | ENGLISH |
| Jī-jī-pat | 2-2-8, the February 28 incident |
| Pe̍h-sik Khióng-pòo | the White Terror period |
| kám-kak | to feel, to think or to believe; feeling
Pronunciation note: When “kám-kak” is used as a verb followed by an opinion, it is often contracted to “kám-má…” |
| Guá kám-kak i m̄ tsai. | I have a feeling that he doesn’t know. I don’t think he knows. |
| Guá kám-kak pak-pōo ê bah-tsàng khah hó-tsia̍h! | I think that northern glutinous rice dumplings taste better! |
| Guá siūnn... | I think…, I suppose... |
| Guá khuànn... | In my view… (literally: I look) |
| Tsiàu guá khuànn... | It seems to me…, In my opinion… |
| Tsiàu guá khuànn, tsit ê tsóng-thóng huān-sè ē liân-jīm. | It seems to me that this president will probably be re-elected. |
| hennh--ah / sī--ah / tio̍h--ah | yeah, yes, exactly
Usage note: These are often used to show that you agree with the point. |
| Guá mā án-ne kám-kak. | I also think so; I feel the same way. |
| mā | also |
| Kám án-ne? | Is that so? Is that the case?
Usage note: This is a common way to show that you don’t think so or don’t agree. |
| Kám án-ne? Guá kám-kak lâm-pōo--ê khah hó-tsia̍h. | Is that so? I think the Southern version tastes better. |
| tông-ì | to agree, to consent |
| Guá tông-ì lí ê siūnn-huat. | I agree with your way of thinking. |
| Guá bô tông-ì lí ê siūnn-huat. | I don't agree with your thinking. |
| siūnn-huat | way of thinking, thought, idea |
| khuànn-huat | way of looking at something, viewpoint, or perspective |
| tsò-huat | way of doing or handling something |
| tsàn-sîng | to agree, to support |
| Guá tsàn-sîng i ê kuat-tīng. | I agree and support her decision. |
| kuat-tīng | decision; to decide |
| Guá kuat-tīng (beh) puann khì Tâi-tiong. | I decided to move to Taichung. |
| tsi-tshî | to support, to back up |
| Guá tsi-tshî i ê kuat-tīng. | I support and am fully back her decision. |
| Guá tsi-tshî--in. | I support them. |
| Guá ê khuànn-huat kah lí bô kâng. | My way of looking at it is not the same as yours. |
| bô kâng | not the same, different |
| huán-tuì | to oppose |
| Guá huán-tuì lí tsò tsit khuán tāi-tsì. | I’m opposed to you doing this kind of thing. I oppose that you do this kind of thing. |
| Ū-iánn--ooh? | Really? Is it true? |
| kuan-hē | relation; to have something to do with, to have a relationship with |
| Tse hām guá bô kuan-hē. | This has nothing to do with me. |
| Tse kah guá bô tī-tāi. | This is none of my business or has nothing to do with me. I’m not involved. |
| Guá bô ài kóng. | I don’t want to say. |
| Lí beh khuànn khióng-pòo tiān-iánn a̍h-sī tōng-tsok tiān-iánn? | Do you want to watch a horror movie or an action flick? |
| Guá bô ì-kiàn. | I don’t have an opinion on the matter. I don’t have a preference. |
| ì-kiàn | opinion, suggestion, or idea about something |
*Syllables that have been greyed out require a tone change
For more about expressing your opinions, be sure to check out our workbook. It also gives you some additional vocabulary, culture and grammar explanations, and great exercises to reinforce what you’ve learned in this episode.
MEMORIALS OF THE 228 INCIDENT AND THE WHITE TERROR
The National 228 Memorial Museum is housed in a building that used to be the American Institute in Taiwan’s Cultural Center. Today it has a permanent exhibition that provides a comprehensive look at the history leading up to 228, the White Terror Period, and also the personal stories of the victims and their families.
Website: https://www.228.org.tw/en_index.php
The National Human Rights Museum was established in 2018 to serve as a center for research and education on Taiwan’s past under martial law, but it also ties more broadly to human rights history in Taiwan. It has two campuses, “Jing-Mei White Terror Memorial Park” and “Green Island White Terror Memorial Park”, both occupy the actual sites that were previously used to detain, prosecute, try, and imprison political prisoners.
Website: https://www.nhrm.gov.tw/en/
ONE BITE CHALLENGE: DON’T BURN YOUR BRIDGES
Our One Bite Challenge this week is a Taiwanese saying about relationship with other people:
“Jîn-tsîng lâu tsi̍t suànn, ji̍t-āu hó sio-khuànn.”
Let’s break down the sentence:
| TAIWANESE | ENGLISH |
| jîn-tsîng | favor, kindness, social relationships, etiquette |
| lâu | to keep, to remain |
| tsi̍t | one |
| suànn | line, thread |
| ji̍t-āu | someday in the future |
| hó | easy, easily; good |
| sio-khuànn | to look at each other |
The first part “Jîn-tsîng lâu tsi̍t suànn” means “don’t completely destroy the relationship.” The second part “ji̍t-āu hó sio-khuànn” means “it’ll be easier to look at each other without hard feelings.”
Altogether it’s saying that even if things go badly, don’t ruin the relationship completely, because it’ll make things easier for you in the future if you meet again.
It’s similar to the English saying “Don’t burn your bridges.”
Music Credit: TeknoAXE