Romanization of Taiwanese Hokkien
Taiwanese Hokkien, often called Taiwanese, is one of the most widely spoken languages in Taiwan. It was brought to Taiwan by settlers from Fujian Province in Mainland China several hundred years ago. Today, many Taiwanese people use it at home, in local markets, and during cultural events. The language is an important part of Taiwan’s identity and heritage. Although Mandarin Chinese is the main language used in schools and government, Taiwanese Hokkien remains popular through music, television programs, and everyday conversations. Learning and preserving Taiwanese Hokkien helps people to better understand Taiwan’s history, traditions, and cultural diversity. Peh-oe-jī (POJ) is a romanization system that uses the Latin alphabet to write Taiwanese Hokkien. It was developed by Christian missionaries in the 19th century and became one of the earliest and most important writing systems for the language. POJ uses letters and tone marks to show pronunciation clearly. For example, the ph...
