Reading in Taiwan: Understanding Traditional Chinese for Simplified Learners

If you’ve studied Simplified Chinese (简体中文 jiǎntǐ zhōngwén) and are planning a trip to Taiwan, you may notice that the signs, menus, and books look a little different from what you’re used to. That’s because Taiwan uses Traditional Chinese (繁體中文 fántǐ zhōngwén)—a richer, more historic version of the script that has been preserved for centuries.​

Don’t worry — your Mandarin listening and speaking skills will serve you perfectly well here. The grammar and pronunciation are almost identical. The main difference lies in how the characters are written.

Why Taiwan Uses Traditional Chinese

After 1949, mainland China simplified many characters as part of the literacy program, leading to today’s 简化字 (jiǎnhuà zì) or Simplified Characters. Taiwan, however, chose to retain the original script, valuing it as part of its cultural and artistic heritage.

For Taiwanese people, writing 繁體字 (fántǐ zì) is a way of keeping history alive. You’ll see it everywhere — from shop signs in Taipei (台北 Tái​běi) to calligraphy at temples in Tainan (台南 Tái​nán).​

How Different Are The Characters?

Here are a few examples of common words you might recognize, just written differently:

English	Traditional	Pinyin	Simplified
Love	愛	ài	爱
Country	國	guó	国
Horse	馬	mǎ	马
Listen	聽	tīng	听
Dragon	龍	lóng	龙

You’ll still understand most signage. Many characters are identical or very close in form, and context makes reading much easier once you settle in.

When Traveling Around Taiwan

Most transport stations and tourist areas in Taiwan have English labels alongside Traditional Chinese, so navigation is smooth. Whether you’re at Taipei Main Station (台北車站 Tái​běi chē​zhàn), buying tickets for the High-Speed Rail (台灣高鐵 Tái​wān gāo​tiě), or visiting the National Palace Museum (國立故宮博物院 Guó​lì Gù​gōng Bówùyuàn), you’ll see bilingual signs.

Digital tools like Google Maps and LINE Pay (LINE支付 LINE Zhīfù) also integrate Traditional Chinese automatically in Taiwan, so you can navigate menus or translate text easily on your phone.​

Cultural Note: The Spirit of Traditional Chinese

Traditional Chinese script embodies the art of balance and meaning—each stroke carries a cultural concept. For example, the Traditional character for “love” (愛 ài) includes the “heart” radical 心 (xīn), which disappears in the Simplified version 爱. Many visitors find this depth of symbolism fascinating while exploring temples, street art, or handwritten signs across the island.​

Quick Tips for Visitors

• Menus & Maps: Don’t worry if you studied simplified writing—many restaurants offer English or have photos.

• Language Apps: Tools like Pleco or Google Translate can recognize both Traditional and Simplified characters.

• Mindset: Treat it as a fun challenge! Recognizing new forms deepens your understanding of Chinese language evolution.

Note from “Learning Chinese with Hari”

This article is part of our “Travels in Taiwan” series. Please note that all pages under this section are translated into Traditional Chinese (繁體中文 fántǐ zhōngwén) for authenticity and immersion. The main site, “Learning Chinese with Hari,” continues to use Simplified Chinese (简体中文 jiǎntǐ zhōngwén) as the default learning interface.

By the end of your trip, you might find yourself starting to recognize Traditional forms effortlessly—and perhaps even fall in love with the elegance of 繁體字 (fántǐ zì), just as many visitors to Taiwan do.