URL
Lesson Introduction
Oysters, rumored to have aphrodisiac qualities, have certainly inspired passion in many a Taipei night market nosher. The famed 'oyster omelet'--an unlikely marriage of eggs and shellfish--can be first on your checklist of the what's what to eat in Taipei. In this lesson, learn in Mandarin Chinese about a few more things that Taipei dwellers sometimes forget to mention about their city--street side culinary delights and beyond.
Comments 
To comment, please login.
Comments Policy
Allowed comments do not necessarily represent the views of ChinesePod.com. We also reserve the right to reject personal attacks, false/unsubstantiated allegations, spamming of any kind, and comments that include vulgar language or libelous statements.
Out of consideration for our Newbie and Elementary users, English translations should be provided with any Chinese (characters or pinyin) written in Newbie and Elementary lesson discussion posts. New lesson idea? Please let us know on our contact page.
artkho says
What are the characters for oyster omelet? I'm too lazy to go to Taiwanese restaurant over here just to figure out the characters. ;)May 21, 2008
user15833 says
A useful lesson, although it would be great if the 台北人 sounded a little more Taiwanese. The accent on the 去過, for instance, is definitely not Taiwanese, and besides, many Taiwanese folks would be likely to respond "有啊." Also, the lesson intro mentions oyster omelet, one of the famous foods usually referred to in Taiwan only by its Taiwanese name. It would be awesome to see some of these local dialect variants incorporated into future lessons about various Chinese-speaking places. Thanks for all the hard work!May 21, 2008
sophie20461 says
我喜欢看台湾的偶像剧和综艺节目呵呵，像《康熙来了》之类的呵呵。May 21, 2008
tvan says
我感觉除了卢浮宫以外，世界上最有意思的博物馆就是台北的故宫。可是去台湾的时候，也别忘记它的乡下。玉山，太鲁阁，墾丁公园的风景都很特殊的。 I believe that with the exception of the Louvre, the National Palace Museum in Taiwan made more of an impression on me than any other. However, though this lesson covers Taipei exclusively, Taiwan's hinterlands also offer scenery that rivals the best in the world.May 21, 2008
user15833 says
@artkho: It's 蚵仔煎, but pronounced something like o-a-qian (I don't know how to type Taiwanese romanization, sorry).May 21, 2008
azerdocmom says
Oh, terrific podcast! My city of origin! My heart jumped in excitement when I saw this lesson. Yeh! I've not been there for many years, but this lesson makes me long to go again...and have 小吃. 谢谢你们。May 21, 2008
sanp says
我最喜欢吴宗宪的《我猜我猜我猜猜》May 21, 2008
calkins says
Interesting, I have that very photo set as my laptop's wallpaper. Here's the full image...pretty amazing.May 21, 2008
hotcarl says
searching for correct Taiwanese phonetics is an ongoing quest... e2 a1 zen1/cen1 or somewhere in between. Taiwanese hen3 bu4 rong2 yi4 Er2qie3 you3 ba1 ge sheng1 diao4. xie4xie4 ni3 de chao1 hao3 de chinesepod.com Taiwanesepod hui4 chu1 lai4 ma?. I noticed the domain is still available;)May 21, 2008
amber says
My favourite things from the Shilin Night Market are the 木瓜牛奶 (mùguā niúnǎi) (Papaya Milkshake) and those spicy corn on the cob roasted over coals. Yum!May 21, 2008
adamtavernier says
the stinky tofu that's sold near campus books is great. also, if you're looking for a place to exercise, practice tai chi, or hike, 大安森林公園 is spacious for a park in Taiwan. also, in taiwan they used a different sound system beside 漢字, but I live in 大安 so I'm familiar with it and actuallly like it better than pin-ing, which can be confusing because of its Roman characters' associations with English pronunciation. oh, and i like the oyster omelettes with peanut sauce, rather than strawberry sauce. (even if you don't like seafood, have some in taiwan -- it may change your mind).May 21, 2008
adamtavernier says
ah yes, and if you want to say thank you in taiwanese, you may find it easier to say than in mandarin. don't get addicted! most people over 50 say:"seh(4) seh!"May 21, 2008
texastochina says
Nice lessonMay 21, 2008
helifan says
The omelet is 蚵仔煎. The first two characters are pronounced "e2 a" and then the jian is pronounced like the th in "the" combined with an en sound. Can't think of a good way to pin yin it and I'm late for work.....May 21, 2008
rksel2 says
thank~May 21, 2008
changye says
I visited 故宫 in 台北 more than twenty years ago, but don’t have a chance to tour 故宫 in 北京 yet. When I visited there about ten years ago, what a shame, it was closed due to major renovation work. 好菜不怕晚！May 21, 2008
elee8888cn says
The only memory I have about Taipei is oyster omelet (蚵仔煎) and Squid Thick Soup (鱿鱼羹) which I used to have them almost daily in Silin night market (士林夜市) when I was in Taiwan. For those of you who like to make the oyster omelet yourself, here is the recipe: First, sweet potato meal paste is fried in a frying pan, then clean oysters, an egg, leek, bean sprouts and lettuce are added. Sauce is added and it is best when eaten warm. The taste is sweet, salty and hot. It is so delicious!May 21, 2008
jennyzhu says
There are about quarter of a million Taiwan natives living in Shanghai and surrounding area. Their entreprenuerial spirit is amazing. A lot of them moved to the mainland to set up their own business and moved family here too.May 21, 2008
john says
Taipei 101 is truly a sight to behold, and I am normally not one to swoon over architecture...May 22, 2008
sushan says
加州 和 韩国 都 有 牡蛎／炒蛋 特色菜. 加州的 (hangtown fry) 包括 培根 jiāzhoū hé hánguó doū yoŭ mŭlì／chăodàn tèsècài。jiāzhoū de (hangtown) fry bāokuò péigēn. Funny, I didn't know Taiwan had their own version of an oyster omelet. From the recipe it sounds a bit like the Korean version.May 22, 2008
lostinasia says
As glad as I am to see a lesson about my current home... ChinesePod is really working on bridging that Ellie-Int gap, isn't it? Ah well, I guess it's what people want and need, but many more Intermediate lessons at this level and I may start talking about an Int/ Up-Int gap. The expansion section has Yangmingshan in the vocabulary--this is a mountain park to the north of Taipei. Lovely place; for a big city, Taipei has an amazing number of nearby places to hike.May 22, 2008
henning says
Is "formerly Mike in Jubei" still around?May 22, 2008
hitokiri6993 says
I hope the next city lesson will be about 한국,서울. (韓國,Seoul)...or somewhere in 菲律賓。May 22, 2008
chiongzibide says
I've noticed that qˇılai (起来)is used with some verbs - especially 起来 (stand up). Here it is used with k`an 看. Can somebody please explain to the function of 起来 in this instance, and generally. Thanks.May 22, 2008
pretzellogic says
hi cpod: just a suggestion. you guys should add a another way to mark the lessons called "studied well", for those of us that get to lessons, but only have time to review maybe the fix and the dialogue, but not the complete lessonMay 22, 2008
tvan says
chiongzibide, I'm no grammar expert, but I think I can answer this one. "起来“ is a verb suffix that, according to my dictionary means "to raise up" or "begin to do". This works for 站起来/zhànqǐlái (stand up). However, 看起来/kànqǐlái means more, "It looks as if". The subject of verb suffixes (i.e. resultative suffixes) goes beyond the pale of a single post. However, generally speaking, I you pair an action verb (e.g. 站/Zhàn/Stand) with a suffix (e.g. 起来/qǐlái/raise up) to arrive at a completed meaning. Maybe somebody else can add to that.May 22, 2008
jerseyguy says
Taipei 101 is a very cool building. I love the Papaya milkshakes and the Taiwanese sausages you dip in soy sauce and garlic.May 22, 2008
binibu says
Taiwan is wonderful! I´ve been there a while ago doing an internship at a small company importing german boardgames called 新天鵝堡 (because of the german Castle Neu Schwanstein "New Swan"stein) http://www.swanpanasia.com/public/indexs.php?cont=1&lng=eng&flash=off If you happen to be in Taibei you definitely should go to the Witchhouse Cafe 女巫店 10660,Taibei City 1F, No. 7, Lane 56, Sec. 3, Xinsheng S. Rd. There you can have some food/drinks and play. Usually on fridays and at the weekends there´s staff to teach you how to play. It´s worth a laugh :) Is anyone of you in Taibei right now? I´m going back there in September for another internship at the German Cultural Center 德國文化中心 http://www.dk-taipei.org.tw/en/ and will stay there at least until January (hoping to get some longtime position from there). I´d be happy to meet some CPod friends :) My favourites in Taipei: fantuan for breakfast, all the yummie vegetarian restaurants 就让我流口水, the National Theater and Concert Hall at the Jiang Kaishek Memorial Hall, 101, Xindian (End of MRT green line) with all its hills to hike and the little river with the teahouse across the bridge...and on an on and on. Aiya...I´m getting kind of homesick now. So I better stop :) Maybe see you soon!May 22, 2008
user5647 says
她一點都不像臺灣人耶。。。 = =May 22, 2008
woaitaiwan says
@binibu: I am currently staying in Taipei, and I also happen to be German. But I will leave end of June, only have been staying here since March to study Chinese at 政大 (www.nccu.edu.tw). Would consider myself Lower Elementary now - after three months of daily classes... If anybody is interested in my experiences, feel free to contact me. Anyway, for anyone interested, I published an interview with your future boss at the German Cultural Center at a German news website. You can find the link in my blog: http://taipeh.wordpress.com/2008/03/24/taiwan-und-china-die-feinen-unterschiede/ Also, some pictures and impressions of Ma Ying-jeou's inauguration: http://taipeh.wordpress.com/2008/05/20/mit-pauken-und-pandas/ It's all in German, but you crowd can try out bablefish or some other translation software and have fun deciphering the meaning...May 22, 2008
bazza says
Jenny, does that mean you don't like kissing? ;)May 22, 2008
aryeh says
how cool, i just am home from the night market in Keelung having eaten shark, shrimp, oyster fritter, yummmy!!!May 22, 2008
standuke says
Can anyone fill in the missing characters for me? From the end when Jenny talks about her not-quite a visit to Taiwan, after 8:50 or so... 对我来说也是又兴奋又惊(?)May 22, 2008
standuke says
Oops, some of the previous post got stripped out because i used the pointy html-style brackets. The first missing character sounds to me like 'jiang1' or 'zhang1'. The second word sounds like lu2you3 or lu3you2 or some permutation thereof.May 22, 2008
standuke says
Changye, 'Good food doesn't fear the evening?' Is it me, or is that a little morbid?May 22, 2008
andrewm says
At the Taiwanese - Chinese Restaurant in Rockville, Maryland, USA called "Bob's 66 Noodle" I usually order the oyster pancake by saying "蚵仔煎 hé zǎi jiān".May 22, 2008
davelandis says
I was just in Taipei last month and LOVED IT. We were within a 10 minute walk of Taipei 101. It is lit with different colors every night. However, if you go there to eat, they will speak to you in English. I preferred going to neighborhood places to eat and practice my Chinese. Cpod provided a good foundation. The National Palace Museum had many amazing artifacts. Highly recommended!May 22, 2008
henning says
tvan, chiongzibide, there is a Qing Wen dedicated to this subject. It's title is: "Using 看 (kàn) and 看起来 (kàn qilai)" Sorry links to the QWs do not work in the comment section, so you have to go there youreself: It is the very first QW (from June 11, 2007).May 22, 2008
linreigu says
Thanks for a lesson on Taiwan!! Much appreciated. I've followed your podcast for a few weeks now and I absolutely love them. John and Jenny, you are so sweet and funny!!! However, we do suffer a bit from the dalu perspective on things. Your vocab isn't always ours!! I guess it's too much to ask for a few recurring hints (ie. "warning: this word is NOT used in Taiwan). And a request: what about a lesson on how to buy betel nuts from a betelnut girl? I haven't dared trying that yet ... (just as well, says my wife ...)May 22, 2008
chillosk says
Great lesson guys!!May 22, 2008
auntie68 says
linreigu, I've never been to Taiwan before, and I seem to know nothing about Taiwan that hasn't been filtered through the NYT, but aren't those betel nut girls those chickbabes in micro-mini skirts who stand by the roadside (literally) stopping enormous trucks (truckers are their best customers)? And I'm quite sure I read a NYT feature about "naked sushi" being popular in some parts of Taiwan. As in the sushi is arranged on the nekkid body of a young chickbabe, instead of on a platter (she IS the platter)?May 22, 2008
lostinasia says
The naked sushi comes from Japan. I've heard rumours of such things in Taiwan, but only at a pretty underground level. Betel nut is sold at stands everywhere, most often staffed by... well, anyone. The micro-mini skirts & just-a-bra-thank-you venders aren't something you see in the cities; they're often out by the highway interchanges. They don't seem as common as they used to, or maybe they're just less common in the north (where I live now) than in the south (where I used to live). You do sometime see bikini-clad women dancing, or just standing around, in funeral procession trucks, or (very) occasionally even in temple festivals--as a friend once put it, "I guess the gods like [nekkid chickbabes] too". I missed my window to try betel nut; I was curious when I first arrived here, but now I find the smell absolutely nauseating.May 22, 2008
user15833 says
I tried betel nut a couple of years ago when some friends came to visit me, and it was absolutely disgusting. What's worse is the middle-aged truck drivers (and seemingly most of the temple parade attendants) who give you a huge betel nut smile with red stained gums and teeth! Still, betel nut is one of those things you've just got to try to say you did. Some others: Pearl milk tea (can't go to its birthplace without having some!) 珍珠奶茶 Mango ice (with sweetened condensed milk) 芒果牛奶冰 Taiwanese sausage 香腸 Stinky tofu 臭豆腐 Mian xian (official English name? no idea. but it's thin noodles in a thick soup - I like the kind with pig intestines, but the original has oysters) 大腸/蚵仔麵線 Boolaahee soup (I only know it by the Taiwanese name, so no idea on the characters - it's a soup of tiny white fish that I think is also found in Japan) Best Activity + Food: Indoor shrimp fishing. Catch your own shrimp with little fishing poles and nets, then cook them up and eat them right there!May 22, 2008
ewong says
I loved this lesson!! 蚵仔煎 or oa-jian in fookienese is the best! It is popular here in Manila.. well at least in Chinatown. I love the combination of the egg, oysters, green chives and sticky tapioca. It is usually served with a sweet tomato based dipping sauce!May 22, 2008
darylk says
I lived near Shilin night market for a summer. These night markets really come alive only at night. I ate pretty much everything but was warned by locals to be careful about the shaved ice--not always so sanitary. My Taiwanese friend, in fact, got really sick after eating some of the ice at this particular night market. So may be best to stick with cooked foods. 101 is pretty amazing. The "0" in the number on the building is in the shape of a Chinese coin. I recommend Googling to get a close-up of the architecture of 101 so you can appreciate some of these nice design touches.May 22, 2008
chiongzibide says
tvan & Henning: Thanks for your help and suggestions. I have listened to all the Qingwen's, but have forgotten about this one - probably because the issue has been brought to my attention at a later point in my linguistic progress. Now to review the QW!May 23, 2008
user29943 says
I'm with the second poster it'd be nice to have a 當地的台北人 or use the local accent for each city so we can hear what their Mandarin sounds likeMay 23, 2008
tvan says
user29943, I presume you only mean Chinese-speaking cities, not Chinese speaking with a Detroit accent. ;-) Seriously, the only problem I have with the local accent issue is that in many cities, if you want a true feel for how the locals speak, in manuy cities you need to mix the local dialect in with "standard" Mandarin. Even a small amount becomes confusing fast. I'm not against the idea per se, but I'm also have questions about its application in a learning setting.May 23, 2008
wolson says
Nixon到中国去以前，你想到中国和台湾出去，你要两个护照。今天，你想到伊朗和以色列出去，你两个护照。时间流了！时间停了！也许世界换了。May 23, 2008
linreigu says
Here in Xinzhu, (Taiwan, province of China) there are still plenty of string-panties wearing girls selling betelnuts. In the center of town even! SItting in a glass box by the road side, the girls certainly make a European think of the red-light district in Amsterdam. The amazing thing, however, is that the betelnut business is not sex related. Hard to believe but true. Anyways. Point is: how do you order nuts from these girls? Chinesepod, help us please!May 23, 2008
renny says
ive always liked Taiwan 台北 but why dont say taibei instead of taipei ? pronounce it like they way it should be there both very similar i was confused at first.May 23, 2008
laib says
The Taiwan 101 is a truly amazing Chinese architectural skyscraper; it reminds me a little bit of the JinMao Skyscraper in Shanghai. However, does anyone else think it sort of sticks out of no where? :-PMay 24, 2008
weibaian says
standuke wrote: >对我来说也是又兴奋又惊(?) This is the word >for anxious. I think it was not 惊 but 紧张 = nervous. standuke wrote: >不可以到太完去 From the context I'm >guessing this means 'by a direct route', as >there still aren't direct flights, is that right?? I think it was not 太完 but 台湾 = TaiwanMay 24, 2008
weibaian says
renny wrote: The sound represented by "b" in English is unaspirated and voiced. The sound represented by "p" in English is aspirated and unvoiced. The sound represented by "b" in pinyin is neither of the above sounds, but is unaspirated and unvoiced. In Wade-Giles the same sound is represented by "p". Taibei is the pinyin for 台北，and Taipei follows the Wade-Giles convention.May 24, 2008
changye says
Hi standuke, 好菜不怕晚 or 好饭不怕晚 Delicious dishes are worth waiting for. 怕 (pa4, afraid), 晚 (wan3, late)May 24, 2008
davelandis says
Until April, I hadn't been in Taipei since 1993. Taipei's mass transit system hadn't come on line. Now they have a very nice MTR system. Also, street signs have Pinyin under the Chinese. Taipei has also taken up recycling. There is no trash can at Starbucks. You put your finished cup on a small shelf, then it will be washed and put in a recycle bag. My brother-in-law's family also had a separate recycling bag in their kitchen. An ABC businessman I met told me that he was skeptical how successful the program would be, but he was pleasantly surprised at its success.May 24, 2008
davelandis says
We spent one Saturday at a Tea refinery, Wang's Tea. http://wangtea.com.tw/ It is a fifth generation business, started in 1890. You can learn much about different teas and their preparation. The upper floor had some elderly people playing and singing traditional Chinese music.May 24, 2008
standuke says
weibaian, thanks for your help. I see '紧张' now. '台湾’ was a typo (though admittedly I hadn't noticed), but the character I was looking for came after the '去‘... sounds a little like 'lu you' but I'm uncertain about the tones. Regardless, thanks for taking the time to reply... Changye, Thanks for the clarification-- I had the feeling I was missing the point completely. I was sitting around trying to figure out what food could be afraid of--the trash bin? becoming leftovers?May 24, 2008
auntie68 says
Hi standuke. I believe Jenny was recounting the story of how she had a brief layover in Taiwan once whilst flying from Singapore (新加坡) to Hawaii (夏威夷；xia4wei1yi2) for a holiday (旅游; lü3you2) with her family? Hope that helps!May 24, 2008
standuke says
Auntie68, that must be it (旅游; lü3you2). I guess I'm still confused from the context, cause it sounds like she's saying 'you can't go to Taiwan for vacation, so we should all go'... Anyway, no matter. Mostly what I was trying to accomplish was to pick out as many characters as possible from the comments... It's surprising how many I can figure out just from typing what I hear using my Mac's pinyin input system and then checking with a dictionary. I can't seem to type the '旅' character, though, even now that I know it--I had to copy it from your message--so if anyone has any hints about how to do that I'd appreciate it. Does the character have multiple pronunciations? Thanks again!May 24, 2008
auntie68 says
Okay, you've tripped over something that took me a while to figure out for myself. The Chinese ü is keyed in as a simple "u" only where the sound is clear from the context (Eg. "qu"; would never be pronounced as "choo"). If there is any doubt (eg. 女 nü), then you have to type "v" instead of "u".May 24, 2008
sballa says
andrewm, Our Chinese tutor took us to Bob's 88, right across the street from Bob's 66 that you mentioned. So, right there in suburban Rockville, Maryland, USA, we had our first oyster omelet ever. Well, at least I did. My wife, not a big oyster eater, ate the omelet and hid the oyster under some bones from her 排骨。 SteveMay 25, 2008
standuke says
旅旅旅－－got it! I played with Option-u, u, but that wasn't doing the trick... Thanks again, auntie68!May 25, 2008
auntie68 says
不用客气。。。May 25, 2008
s0395617 says
在expansion里，有个句子：“这条河的水是往哪里流的？” 我想理解什么时候用“往”，什么时候用“向”。有人可以解释吗？ 多谢，弗朗克May 25, 2008
machine says
Hi, I'm a Japanese living in Taiwan. Taiwanese Mandarin's "超" (super) is influanced by Japanese "超" pronaunce as "cho" in 1st or 4th tone. This is a modern expression used since around 20 years ago in Japan by teenager at that time. 30's people or younger prefer to use 1st tone, 40's people or older use 4th tone and most over 60's people don't use it, because "cho" is originally/formally pronounced in 4th tone but the young Japanese prefer to pronouce any words in flat accent.May 25, 2008
auntie68 says
Hi. According to the note in my little dict, 向 and 往 are interchangeable most of the time, but certain "set phrases" require one rather than the other. Sorry I can't supply the great examples, I'm typing one-handed today coz I nearly sliced a fingertip off last night in a cooking accident. If this post is not a sign of cpod addiction, i don't know what is. I am tempted to ask the Stunt Toddler whether he can take dictation.May 25, 2008
auntie68 says
Not interchangeable: 火车开往上海。 飞机飞往西安。 走向光明。 走向心生活。 奔向幸福的前方。May 25, 2008
auntie68 says
But interchangeable in 汽车往图书馆开去。Hmm...May 25, 2008
amber says
hi s0395617, 往 (wǎng) vs. 向 (xiàng) when you are speaking about direction, i.e., north, west, etc. or the location (哪里 nǎli, 那里 nàli, etc.,前 (qián) etc. you can use either of these, however 往 (wǎng) is used more frequently. 向 (xiàng) can be used also with more abstract concepts, as in 向她学习 (xiàng tā xuéxí).May 25, 2008
taibeitimes says
betel nut is called 檳榔 (bin1lang2) betel nut beauty is 檳榔西施 (binlang2 xi1shi1) you won't find them (betel nut beauties) in taipei city, but they can be seen in taipei county. they are much more common in southern taiwan. while i wouldn't say betel tastes good, i wouldn't say it is disgusting. i'll chew it once in awhile if someone happens to offer me one... usually after drinking a few beers. good idea to put on a 伍佰 CD, wear your finest "wife beater" and blue-white 拖鞋 while chewing your betel nut for maximum 台客 effect.May 26, 2008
tvan says
I can't say that I ever noticed the betel nut girls before. Turns out that a search on YouTube (naturally) turns up all sorts of stuff. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJo7ZkLwkngMay 26, 2008
davelandis says
I have a Taipei restaurant recommendation. The place is called Mu JI 穆記 and it is across the street from the Taipei Medical University/Hospital 台北醫學大學/台北醫學院 http://www.tmch.org.tw/tmuh%20english/index.htm which is about a 15 minute walk from Taipei 101. One of my friends at work actually heard about this place while she was in Hong Kong! We visited the restaurant twice. The second time we had to wait about 10 minutes for a seat since they were very busy. They specialize in beef type dishes. I especially liked the 牛肉春饼！May 26, 2008
taibeitimes says
look for the neon and flashing lights on the small store fronts... attention getters for betel nut stands. some other taipei or near taipei sights not already mentioned (i think): beitou (sulfur hot springs), wulai (hot springs, hiking, aboriginal culture), a drive along the north coast (scenery), maokong (hiking, tea), elephant mountain (hiking, scenery). loads of fantastic scenery and outdoor stuff in taiwan.May 26, 2008
davelandis says
Taibeitimes Yes, Elephant Mountain is a nice scenic hike. It was very close to my brother-in-law's home. I remember even seeing an outdoor place there where you could get a hair cut.May 26, 2008
chinacoast says
I liked this lesson. Twenty years ago I lived in Taipei. I have never seen the 101 building, but I have been to the Night Market and the Palace Museum. This was a fun review.May 26, 2008
calkins says
Taipei 101 really is an amazing architectural feat. If you get a chance, go up to the observation deck and check out the wind damper (风阻尼器 fēng zǔní qì)....I think it's the heaviest in the world (about 900 tons!). Even the damper has a nice aesthetic to it. Here's a nice little fact sheet on 101.May 26, 2008
calkins says
...and video of the damper, around the one minute mark.May 26, 2008
redandy says
May 27, 2008
Haha, a lesson on Taipei leads to a discussion of my favorite local Chinese Restaurant in Maryland, Bob's Noodles. My wife and I actually got 66 to cater our wedding, but these days it's all about 88 and the shabu shabu. Also, I think 66 has gone downhill a little, probably because Bob spends most of his time at 88 now. The oyster omlet there is good but the best I"ve had was on the street in Fongyuan, Taiwan.
101 is great on a clear day, and of course the Palace Museum is a must see for any vistor to Taipei. The surrounding mountains are also quite spectacular.
marcuche says
May 28, 2008
I will be living in Taichung, Taiwan for the coming year.
(only 2 hours by bus from Taipei)
Feel free to get in touch if you head this way.
azerdocmom says
May 28, 2008
Hey, Brent! When's your big move to Taiwan? It's almost summer of '08.That Taipei 101 looks pretty awesome; thanks for the video.
calkins says
May 28, 2008
Hi Alice, thanks for asking...the earliest I can move is end of July, once I fulfill all of my work obligations...but I also need to sell my place. Anyone looking to buy a loft in Chicago?!
Thanks for opening the door to my little plug:) I'm ready for the big move to the wonderful capital of Taiwan...
azerdocmom says
May 28, 2008
Glad to be of service : ) Do I get a commission? BTW, awesome loft pix! Wow!
weibwo says
May 28, 2008
I find that Tainan is the most interesting city in Taiwan because of its interesting mix of old and new. Also the street vendors in Tainan serve up an amazing array of food and all of it very very good. Tainan was the capital during the Qing dynasty. Lots of Confucian, Taoist and Buddhist temples. I have visited Tainan several times. Don't miss Tainan in your travels through Taiwan.
tvan says
May 29, 2008
Just playing around with the video tool.
Great, that saves me having to dust off my HTML or whatever alphabet-soup codes are used nowadays. I noticed that there were a number of different video player protocols available (e.g. flash, Quicktime, etc.). Which one is best or does it matter?
gigibg says
May 29, 2008
The characters for the oyster omlette are “蚵仔煎” in Taiwanese they call it "ô-á-chian".... hmmm.... it may sound strange... but it's very tasty.....
tsulu says
June 2, 2008
I lived in Taiwan for a number of years. I loved it there, but was very fustrated with their form of pinyin and the way they teach Chinese. I speak and read a number of languages (Japanese, Korean, Spanish, etc.) and found that it was very damning to the learning process. I teach Chinese now with Taiwanese materials, but not with the silly phonetics. My students surpass the standard in Taiwan quite quickly. Hope Taiwan will modernize their teaching methods and pinyin.
s0395617 says
June 4, 2008
@amber:
Thanks for your help! Frank
谢谢你的帮助！弗朗克
davelandis says
June 4, 2008
tsulu
I think Taiwan's attitudes towards Hanyu Pinyin are slowly changing. My "3000 Chinese Character Dictionary", (Far East Publishing Company, Taipie) incorporates both bopomofu and pinyin. BTW, it is a very good dictionary. Street signs in Taipei are in Hanyu Pinyin
I've heard some Taiwanese claim that bopomofo lends itself to clearer pronunciation, something that I am a bit skeptical of because a mapping system is simply that, a mapping system. I already know pinyin, but I plan to also learn bopomofo so I can read some of the Taiwanese children's books we have at home. However, I hear you, I find Hanyu Pinyin to be more intuitive since it is a Romanized system.
tvan says
June 5, 2008
I've heard that bopomofo is better for pronounciation as well. I have no idea regarding the truth of the statement, but the general idea is that westerners sometimes let preconceived ideas of pronunciation creep into a phonetic system based upon their own alphabet.
I believe that the Taiwan government wants to phase out bopomofo, but there is both institutional and cultural resistance.
shi3ma3ke4 says
June 5, 2008
For oysters, what is the difference between 蚵 (é) and 蚝 (háo) ?
shi3ma3ke4 says
June 5, 2008
Also, another way to say oyster is 牡蛎 (mulì)... Are these different types of oysters? One of my colleages said 蚵 (é) is smaller than 蚝 (háo).
redandy says
June 7, 2008
I'm know both zhuyin and pinyin. I'd say the zhuyin avoids some of the problems native english speakers have with expecting a letter to have one sound and it actually having another, so I can see some basis for thinking it might produce better pronunciation. On the other hand, pinyin is much, much easier for your average english to start with, because they don't have to memorize a new alphabet.
jeffchiang says
June 12, 2008
This lesson reminded me of one suggestion I've been meaning to make to ChinesePod--in the lesson transcript PDF's, is it possible to include the traditional characters too?
Also, I appreciate the few comments above about restaurants in the DC (Rockville, MD) area. Keep them coming!
hezhicheng says
June 12, 2008
jeff,
customized feeds have an option for the PDF transcripts in traditional characters.
Odd though, that there is not a link for it with all the other download links on the LHS.
hezhicheng says
June 12, 2008
Instead of 看起来很特别 can one say 样子很特别? And would it have pretty much the same meaning?
azerdocmom says
June 12, 2008
@hezhicheng
If I may, 看起来很特别 and 样子很特别 are essentially the same except for probably very subtle differences in usage. I feel 看起来很特别 is applicable in a broader sense, in reference to things, people, situations, relationsahips, etc. However, 样子很特别 has a more narrow usage, more in reference to the appearance, shape, size or physical characteristics of something.
I don't think I would say 样子很特别 when commenting on a father-daughter relationship, for instance, but would use 看起来很特别. Hope that helps : )
tvan says
June 12, 2008
Jeff,
If you put "trad" in between the end of the file name and the pdf extension (e.g. chinesepod_C0889.pdf becomes chinesepod_C0889trad.pdf), you can retrieve traditional PDF's for any lesson.
lostinasia says
June 12, 2008
Here is a blog post about a plugin for Traditional Characters that can be used in Firefox. It worked when I installed it a while back.
doezeedoats says
November 9, 2008
I recommend trying 大腸蚵仔麵線(台灣話：ô-á mī-sòaⁿ）with little oysters 蚵仔, large (pig) intestines, (大腸) and vermicelli. Add chili sauce and black vinegar to taste. Mmmm!