The official romanization system for Taiwanese Hokkien (usually called "Taiwanese") in Taiwan is known as Tâi-uân Tâi-gí Lô-má-jī Phing-im Hong-àn,[I][1] often shortened to Tâi-lô. It is derived from Pe̍h-ōe-jī and since 2006 has been one of the phonetic notation systems officially promoted by Taiwan's Ministry of Education.[2] The system is used in the MoE's Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwan Minnan. It is nearly identical to Pe̍h-ōe-jī, apart from: using ts tsh instead of ch chh, using u instead of o in vowel combinations such as oa and oe, using i instead of e in eng and ek, using oo instead of , and using nn instead of .

Taiwanese Romanization System
Quick Facts Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese ...
Tâi-uân Tâi-gí Lô-má-jī Phing-im Hong-àn
Traditional Chinese臺灣台語羅馬字拼音方案
Simplified Chinese台湾台语罗马字拼音方案
Literal meaningTaiwan Taiwanese (language) Romanization Scheme
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinTáiwān Táiyǔ Luómǎzì Pīnyīn Fāng'àn
Bopomofoㄊㄞˊ ㄨㄢ ㄊㄞˊ ㄩˇ ㄌㄨㄛˊ ㄇㄚˇ ㄗˋ ㄆㄧㄣ ㄧㄣ ㄈㄤ ㄢˋ
Gwoyeu RomatzyhTair'uan Taiyeu Luomaatzyh Pin'in Fang'ann
Wade–GilesTʻai2-wan1 Tai2-yü3 Lo2-ma3-tzu4 Pʻin1-in1 Fang1-an4
Tongyong PinyinTáiwan Tái-yǔ Luó-mǎ-zìh Pin-yin Fang-àn
MPS2Táiwān Táiyǔ Luómǎtz Pīnyīn Fāng'àn
IPA[tʰǎɪ.wán tʰǎɪ.ỳ pʰín.ín fáŋ.ân]
Hakka
RomanizationThòi-vàn Thòi-ngî Lò-mâ-sṳ Piang-yîm Fông-on
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationTòihwāan Tòiyuh Lòhmáhjih Pingyām Fōng'on
Jyutpingtoi4 waan1 toi4 jyu6 lo4 maa5 zi6 ping3 jam1 fong1 on3
IPA[tʰɔj˩ wan˥ tʰɔj˩ jy˨ lɔ˩ ma˩˧ tsi˨ pʰɪŋ˧ jɐm˥ fɔŋ˥ ]
Southern Min
Hokkien POJTâi-ôan Tâi-gí Lô-má-jī Pheng-im Hong-àn
Tâi-lôTâi-uân Tâi-gí Lô-má-jī Phing-im Hong-àn
Tâi-uân Bân-lâm-gí Lô-má-jī Phing-im Hong-àn
Traditional Chinese臺灣閩南語羅馬字拼音方案
Simplified Chinese台湾闽南语罗马字拼音方案
Literal meaningTaiwanese Southern Min Romanization Scheme
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinTáiwān Mǐnnányǔ Luómǎzì Pīnyīn Fāng'àn
Bopomofoㄊㄞˊ ㄨㄢ ㄇㄧㄣˇ ㄋㄢˊ ㄩˇ ㄌㄨㄛˊ ㄇㄚˇ ㄗˋ ㄆㄧㄣ ㄧㄣ ㄈㄤ ㄢˋ
Gwoyeu RomatzyhTair'uan Miinnanyeu Luomaatzyh Pin'in Fang'ann
Wade–GilesTʻai2-wan1 Min3-nan2-yü3 Lo2-ma3-tzu4 Pʻin1-in1 Fang1-an4
Tongyong PinyinTáiwan Mǐn-nán-yǔ Luó-mǎ-zìh Pin-yin Fang-àn
MPS2Táiwān Mǐnnányǔ Luómǎtz Pīnyīn Fāng'àn
IPA[tʰǎɪ.wán mìn.nǎn.ỳ pʰín.ín fáŋ.ân]
Hakka
RomanizationThòi-vàn Men-nàm-ngî Lò-mâ-sṳ Piang-yîm Fông-on
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationTòihwāan Máhnnàahmyuh Lòhmáhjih Pingyām Fōng'on
Jyutpingtoi4 waan1 man5 naam4 jyu6 lo4 maa5 zi6 ping3 jam1 fong1 on3
IPA[tʰɔj˩ wan˥ mɐn˩˧ nam˩ jy˨ lɔ˩ ma˩˧ tsi˨ pʰɪŋ˧ jɐm˥ ]
Southern Min
Hokkien POJTâi-ôan Bân-lâm-gí Lô-má-jī Pheng-im Hong-àn
Tâi-lôTâi-uân Bân-lâm-gí Lô-má-jī Phing-im Hong-àn
Tâi-lô
Traditional Chinese臺羅拼音
Simplified Chinese台罗拼音
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinTáiluó Pīnyīn
Bopomofoㄊㄞˊ ㄌㄨㄛˊ ㄆㄧㄣ ㄧㄣ
Gwoyeu RomatzyhTairluo Pin'in
Wade–GilesTʻai2-lo2 Pʻin1-in1
Tongyong PinyinTái-luó Pin-yin
MPS2Táiluó Pinyin
IPA[tʰǎɪ.lwǒ pʰín.ín]
Hakka
RomanizationThòi-lò Piang-yîm
Southern Min
Hokkien POJTâi-lô Pheng-im
Tâi-lôTâi-lô Phing-im
Kàu-io̍k-pōo Lô-má-jī
Traditional Chinese教育部羅馬字
Simplified Chinese教育部罗马字
Literal meaningMinistry of Education Romanization
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinJiàoyùbù Luómǎzì
Southern Min
Hokkien POJKàu-io̍k-pō͘ Lô-má-jī
Tâi-lôKàu-io̍k-pōo Lô-má-jī
Close

Alphabet

The Taiwanese Romanization System uses 16 basic Latin letters (A, B, E, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, S, T, U), 7 digraphs (Kh, Ng, nn, Oo, Ph, Th, Ts) and a trigraph (Tsh). In addition, it uses 6 diacritics to represent tones.

More information Capital letter, Lower case ...
Capital letterLower caseIPALetter name (variant 1)Letter name (variant 2)
Aa[a]aa
Bb[b]bibe
Ee[e]ee
Gg[ɡ]gige
Hh[h, ʔ]hiha
Ii[i]ii
Jj[d͡z]jije
Kk[k]kika
Khkh[]khikha
Ll[l]lie-luh
Mm[m]mie-muh
Nn[n]nie-nuh
Ngng[ŋ]nginge
NNnn[◌̃]innenn
Oo[o]oo
Oooo[ɔ]oooo
Pp[p]pipe
Phph[]phiphe
Ss[s]sie-suh
Tt[t]tite
Thth[]thithe
Tsts[t͡s]tsitse
Tshtsh[t͡sʰ]tshitshe
Uu[u]uu
Close
  • nn is only used after a vowel to express nasalization, so it only appears capitalized in all-caps texts.
  • Palatalization occurs when j, s, ts, tsh are followed by i, so ji, si, tsi, tshi are sometimes considered multigraphs.
  • Of the 10 unused basic Latin letters, R is sometimes used to express dialectal vowels (ir and er), while the others (C, D, F, Q, V, W, X, Y, Z) are only used in loanwords.

Sample texts

Tâi-lô
Pe̍h-uē-jī (PUJ) sī tsı̍t khuán iōng Latin (Lô-má) phìng-im hē-thóng lâi siá Tâi-uân ê gí-giân ê su-bīn bûn-jī. In-uī tong-tshoo sī thuân-kàu-sū ín--jı̍p-lâi ê, sóo-í ia̍h-ū-lâng kā PUJ kiò-tsò Kàu-huē Lô-má-jī, hı̍k-tsiá sī kán-tshing Kàu-lô. Put-jî-kò hiān-tāi ê sú-iōng-tsiá bē-tsió m̄-sī kàu-tôo, kàu-tôo mā tsin tsē bē-hiáu PUJ.
Pe̍h-ōe-jī
Pe̍h-ōe-jī (POJ) sī chı̍t khoán iōng Latin (Lô-má) phèng-im hē-thóng lâi siá Tâi-ôan ê gí-giân ê su-bīn bûn-jī. In-ūi tong-chho͘ sī thôan-kàu-sū ín--jı̍p-lâi ê, só͘-í ia̍h-ū-lâng kā POJ kiò-chò Kàu-hōe Lô-má-jī, he̍k-chiá sī kán-chheng Kàu-lô. Put-jî-kò hiān-tāi ê sú-iōng-chiá bē-chió m̄-sī kàu-tô͘, kàu-tô͘ mā chin chē bē-hiáu POJ.
Hàn-jī
白話字是一款用拉丁(羅馬)拼音系統來寫臺灣的語言的書面文字。因為當初是傳教士引入來的,所以也有人共白話字叫做教會羅馬字,或者是簡稱教羅。不而過現代的使用者袂少毋是教徒,教徒嘛真濟袂曉白話字。
IPA
[peʔued͡ʑi (pi o d͡ʑe) ɕi t͡ɕiʔkʰuan ioŋ latin (loma) pʰiŋim hetʰoŋ lai ɕa taiuan e gigiɛn e subin bund͡ʑi inui toŋt͡sɔ ɕi tʰuankausu ind͡ʑiʔlai e sɔi iaʔulaŋ ka pi o d͡ʑi kiot͡so kauhue lomad͡ʑi hiʔt͡ɕia ɕi kant͡ɕʰiŋ kaulo puʔd͡ʑiko hiɛntai e suioŋt͡ɕia bet͡ɕio m̩ɕi kautɔ kautɔ ma t͡ɕin t͡se behiau pi o d͡ʑi ]

Values

Consonants

More information Bilabial, Alveolar ...
Initials
BilabialAlveolar Alveolo-palatalVelarGlottal
VoicelessVoicedVoicelessVoiced VoicelessVoicedVoicelessVoiced Voiceless
Nasal m [m]
(moo)
n [n]
(nāi)
ng [ŋ]
(ngá)
PlosiveUnaspirated p [p]
(pian)
b [b]
(bûn)
t [t]
()
k [k]
(kiû)
g [g]
()
Aspirated ph [pʰ]
(pho)
th [tʰ]
(thann)
kh [kʰ]
(khì)
AffricateUnaspirated ts [ts]
(tsan)
j [dz]
(jua̍h)
tsi [tɕ]
(tsiam)
ji [dʑ]
(ji̍p)
Aspirated tsh [tsʰ]
(tshut)
tshi [tɕʰ]
(tshiú)
Fricative s [s]
(sann)
si [ɕ]
(siá)
h [h]
()
Lateral l [l] ~ [ɾ]
(liú)
Close
More information Bilabial, Alveolar ...
Finals
BilabialAlveolar VelarGlottal
Nasal consonant -m [m]
-n [n]
-ng [ŋ]
Stop consonant -p [p̚]
-t [t̚]
-k [k̚]
-h [ʔ]
Syllabic consonant
BilabialVelar
Nasal m [m̩]
ㆬ 姆(ḿ)
ng [ŋ̍]
ㆭ 酸(sng)
Close

Vowels & Rhymes

More information Front, Central ...
Simple & Nasal
FrontCentralBack
SimpleNasalSimpleNasalSimpleNasal
Close i [i]
(i)
inn [ĩ]
(înn)
u [u]
(u)
unn [ũ]
(tiunn)
Mid e [e]
()
enn [ẽ]
(senn)
o[ə]
(ko)
oo [ɔ]
(oo)
onn [ɔ̃]
(onn)
Open a [a]
(tsa)
ann [ã]
(sann)
Dialect
Tâi-lôIPABopomofo
ir[ɨ]
er[ə]
ee[ɛ]
ere[əe]ㄜㆤ[a]
Close
More information Vowel(s), Open syllabus ...
Vowel(s)Open syllabusNasalPlosive
[m][n][ŋ][p̚][t̚][k̚][ʔ]
[a] aannamanangapatakahannh
[ai] aiainnaihainnh
[au] auauh
[e] eennehennh
[i] iinniminingipitikihinnh
[ia] iaianniamianiangiapiatiakiahiannh
[iau] iauiaunniauh
[iə] ioioh
[iɔ] iongiok
[iu] iuiunniuhiunnh
Vowel(s)Open syllabusNasalPlosive
[m][n][ŋ][p̚][t̚][k̚][ʔ]
[ə] ooh
[ɔ] ooonnomongopokoohonnh
[u] uunutuh
[ua] uauannuanuatuah
[uai] uaiuainn
[ue] ueueh
[ui] ui
[m̩] mmh
[ŋ̍] ngngh
Close
  • ing pronounced [ɪəŋ], ik pronounced [ɪək̚].

Tones

More information Tone No., Name ...
Tone No. 12 (= 6)34578
Name 陰平上聲陰去陰入陽平陽去陽入
im-pîngsiōng-siannim-khìim-ji̍piông-pîngiông-khìiông-ji̍p
Symbol NoneAcuteGraveNone (-p, -t, -k, -h)CircumflexmacronVertical line above (-p, -t, -k, -h)
◌́◌̀◌̂◌̄◌̍
Pitch ˥˥˩˧˩˧ʔ˨˦˧˥ʔ
5551312433
Example tong (東)tóng (黨)tòng (棟)tok (督)tông (同)tōng (洞)to̍k (毒)
Close

A hyphen links elements of a compound word. A double hyphen indicates that the following syllable has a neutral tone and therefore that the preceding syllable does not undergo tone sandhi.

More information Licit syllables, Ø ...
Close

Computing

The IETF language tags register nan-Latn-tailo for Tâi-lô text.[3]

Unicode codepoints

The following are tone characters and their respective Unicode codepoints used in Tâi-lô. The tones used by Tâi-lô should use Combining Diacritical Marks instead of Spacing Modifier Letters used by bopomofo.[4][5] As Tâi-lô is not encoded in Big5, the prevalent encoding used in Traditional Chinese, some Taiwanese Romanization System letters are not directly encoded in Unicode, instead should be typed using combining diacritical marks officially.[6]

More information Base letter/Tone 1, Tone 2 ...
Tâi-lô tone characters[1]
Base letter/Tone 1 Tone 2 Tone 3 Tone 4 Tone 5 Tone 6 Tone 7 Tone 8 Tone 9
Combining mark ́ (U+0301) ̀ (U+0300) h ̂ (U+0302) ̌ (U+030C) ̄ (U+0304) ̍h (U+030D) ̋ (U+030B)
Uppercase A Á (U+00C1) À (U+00C0) AH Â (U+00C2) Ǎ (U+01CD) Ā (U+0100) A̍H (U+0041 U+030D) A̋ (U+0041 U+030B)
E É (U+00C9) È (U+00C8) EH Ê (U+00CA) Ě (U+011A) Ē (U+0112) E̍H (U+0045 U+030D) E̋ (U+0045 U+030B)
I Í (U+00CD) Ì (U+00CC) IH Î (U+00CE) Ǐ (U+01CF) Ī (U+012A) I̍H (U+0049 U+030D) I̋ (U+0049 U+030B)
O Ó (U+00D3) Ò (U+00D2) OH Ô (U+00D4) Ǒ (U+01D1) Ō (U+014C) O̍H (U+004F U+030D) Ő (U+0150)
U Ú (U+00DA) Ù (U+00D9) UH Û (U+00DB) Ǔ (U+01D3) Ū (U+016A) U̍H (U+0055 U+030D) Ű (U+0170)
M Ḿ (U+1E3E) M̀ (U+004D U+0300) MH M̂ (U+004D U+0302) M̌ (U+004D U+030C) M̄ (U+004D U+0304) M̍H (U+004D U+030D) M̋ (U+004D U+030B)
N Ń (U+0143) Ǹ (U+01F8) NH N̂ (U+004E U+0302) Ň (U+0147) N̄ (U+004E U+0304) N̍H (U+004E U+030D) N̋ (U+004E U+030B)
Lowercase a á (U+00E1) à (U+00E0) ah â (U+00E2) ǎ (U+01CE) ā (U+0101) a̍h (U+0061 U+030D) a̋ (U+0061 U+030B)
e é (U+00E9) è (U+00E8) eh ê (U+00EA) ě (U+011B) ē (U+0113) e̍h (U+0065 U+030D) e̋ (U+0065 U+030B)
i í (U+00ED) ì (U+00EC) ih î (U+00EE) ǐ (U+01D0) ī (U+012B) i̍h (U+0069 U+030D) i̋ (U+0069 U+030B)
o ó (U+00F3) ò (U+00F2) oh ô (U+00F4) ǒ (U+01D2) ō (U+014D) o̍h (U+006F U+030D) ő (U+0151)
u ú (U+00FA) ù (U+00F9) uh û (U+00FB) ǔ (U+01D4) ū (U+016B) u̍h (U+0075 U+030D) ű (U+0171)
m ḿ (U+1E3F) m̀ (U+006D U+0300) mh m̂ (U+006D U+0302) m̌ (U+006D U+030C) m̄ (U+006D U+0304) m̍h (U+006D U+030D) m̋ (U+006D U+030B)
n ń (U+0144) ǹ (U+01F9) nh n̂ (U+006E U+0302) ň (U+0148) n̄ (U+006E U+0304) n̍h (U+006E U+030D) n̋ (U+006E U+030B)
Notes
1.^ Yellow cells indicate that there are no single Unicode character for that letter; the character shown here uses Combining Diacritical Mark characters to display the letter.[5]
Close

Characters not directly encoded in Unicode requires premade glyphs in fonts in order for applications to correctly display the characters.[5]

Font support

Fonts that currently support POJ includes:

Notes

  1. In version of Ngoo Siu-le [zh], /ɘe/ [ere] is spelled as [oe] while the Phonetic Symbol "ㄜ" is replaced with "".

Words in native languages

References

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