Slang differences across Mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong
Chinese Slang: Speak with Authenticity!: Slang differences across Mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong
The slang differences across Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong stem primarily from variations in spoken language, writing system, cultural influences, and regional vocabulary usage.
Spoken Language Differences
- Mainland China and Taiwan primarily use Mandarin, but with noticeable differences in accent, pronunciation, and some vocabulary due to influences from local dialects and historical factors. For example, Taiwanese Mandarin tends to have softer tones influenced by Taiwanese Hokkien and Japanese, while Mainland Mandarin, especially the Beijing dialect, features the erhua (儿化) “r” sound. 1, 2
- Hong Kong predominantly speaks Cantonese, which differs significantly from Mandarin in pronunciation and tones (Cantonese has six tones, Mandarin four). This leads to large differences in everyday slang between Hong Kong and the other two regions. 3
Vocabulary and Slang Variations
- Taiwan uses many traditional or older Chinese terms and incorporates loanwords from Japanese and English, affecting slang and informal speech. For example, “小黃” (xiaohuang, literally “little yellow”) is slang for a taxi in Taiwan, while Hong Kong uses “的士” (dik si) for taxi, and Mainland China uses “出租车” (chuzuche). 2, 4, 1
- Hong Kong slang includes unique and sometimes playful terms such as calling a scooter a “little lamb” (綿羊仔). Cantonese slang also differs in structure and vocabulary compared to Mandarin slang. 1
- Mainland slang tends to be shaped by Mandarin and simplified characters with some different newer terms or usages compared to Taiwan’s traditional character use and older phrases. 2
Writing System
- Mainland China uses simplified Chinese characters, while both Taiwan and Hong Kong use traditional characters, though even within traditional characters there are slight stylistic differences between Taiwan and Hong Kong. Despite these differences, written traditional Chinese in both Taiwan and Hong Kong is largely mutually intelligible. 5, 3
Examples of Differences
| Meaning | Mainland China (Mandarin, simplified) | Taiwan (Mandarin, traditional) | Hong Kong (Cantonese, traditional) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi | 出租车 (chūzūchē) | 計程車 / 小黃 | 的士 (dik si) |
| Scooter | 摩托车 (mótuōchē) | 摩托車 | 綿羊仔 (little lamb) |
| Boss | 老板 (lǎobǎn) | 上司 | 老細 (lǎosi) |
| Work (at) | 上班 (shàngbān) | 上班 | 返工 (fǎn gōng) |
| Off work | 下班 (xiàbān) | 下班 | 放工 (fàng gōng) |
In summary, slang differences are heavily shaped by the spoken language (Mandarin vs Cantonese), regional cultural influences (Japanese in Taiwan, British in Hong Kong), writing systems (simplified vs traditional), and distinct vocabulary preferences. Young people in Taiwan and Hong Kong may understand each other’s slang better due to media exposure but older generations find some slang unfamiliar or awkward. 4, 3, 1, 2