The official romanization system for Taiwanese Hokkien (Taigi) in Taiwan is known as Tâi-uân Tâi-gí Lô-má-jī Phing-im Hong-àn, 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. The system is used in the MoE's Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi. Its main differences with Pe̍h-ōe-jī are that it uses ts tsh instead of ch chh, u instead of o in vowel combinations such as oa and oe, i instead of e in eng and ek, oo instead of o͘, and nn instead of ⁿ.

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 five diacritics to represent the seven tones. Capital letter Lower case IPA Letter name (variant 1) Letter name (variant 2) A a a a B b bi be E e e e G g gi ge H h hi ha I i i i J j ji je K k ki ka Kh kh khi kha L l li e-luh M m mi e-muh N n ni e-nuh Ng ng ngi nge NN nn inn enn O o o o Oo oo oo oo P p pi pe Ph ph phi phe S s si e-suh T t ti te Th th thi the Ts ts tsi tse Tsh tsh tshi tshe U u u u 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-ōe-jī

Hàn-jī

IPA (without tones)

Values

Consonants +Initials BilabialAlveolarAlveolo-palatalVelarGlottalVoicelessVoicedVoicelessVoicedVoicelessVoicedVoicelessVoicedVoicelessNasal m [m]ㄇ () n [n]ㄋ () ng [ŋ]ㄫ ()PlosiveUnaspiratedp [p]ㄅ ()b [b]ㆠ ()t [t]ㄉ () k [k]ㄍ ()g [g]ㆣ ()Aspiratedph [pʰ]ㄆ () th [tʰ]ㄊ () kh [kʰ]ㄎ () AffricateUnaspirated ts [ts]ㄗ ()j [dz]ㆡ ()tsi [tɕ]ㄐ ()ji [dʑ]ㆢ () Aspirated tsh [tsʰ]ㄘ ()tshi [tɕʰ]ㄑ () Fricative s [s]ㄙ ()si [ɕ]ㄒ () h [h]ㄏ ()Lateral l [l] ~ [ɾ]ㄌ () +Finals BilabialAlveolarVelarGlottalNasal consonant-m [m]ㆬ-n [n]ㄣ-ng [ŋ]ㆭStop consonant-p [p̚]ㆴ-t [t̚]ㆵ-k [k̚]ㆶ-h [ʔ]ㆷ+Syllabic consonant BilabialVelarNasalm [m̩]ㆬ 姆(ḿ)ng [ŋ̍]ㆭ 酸(sng)

Vowels & rhymes +Simple & Nasal FrontCentralBackSimpleNasalSimpleNasalSimpleNasalClosei [i]ㄧ ()inn [ĩ]ㆪ ()u [u]ㄨ ()unn [ũ]ㆫ ()Mide [e]ㆤ ()enn [ẽ]ㆥ ()o [ə]ㄜ ()oo [ɔ]ㆦ ()onn [ɔ̃]ㆧ ()Open a [a]ㄚ ()ann [ã]ㆩ ()+DialectTâi-lôIPABopomofoirㆨerㄜeeㄝere ㄜㆤ o pronounced [ə] ㄜ in general dialect in Kaohsiung and Tainan, [o] ㄛ in Taipei. -nn forms the nasal vowels There is also syllabic m and ng. Vowel(s)Open syllabusNasalPlosive[m][n][ŋ][p̚][t̚][k̚][ʔ][a]aannamanangapatakahannh[ai]aiainn aihainnh[au]au auh[e]eenn ehennh[i]iinniminingipitikihinnh[ia]iaianniamianiangiapiatiakiahiannh[iau]iauiaunn iauh[iə]io ioh[iɔ] iong iok [iu]iuiunn iuhiunnhVowel(s)Open syllabusNasalPlosive[m][n][ŋ][p̚][t̚][k̚][ʔ][ə]o oh[ɔ]ooonnom ongop okoohonnh[u]u un ut uh[ua]uauann uan uat uah[uai]uaiuainn [ue]ue ueh[ui]ui [m̩]m－mh[ŋ̍]ng－ngh ing pronounced [ɪəŋ], ik pronounced [ɪək̚].

Tones Tone No.12 (= 6)34578Nameim-pîngsiōng-siannim-khìim-ji̍piông-pîngiông-khìiông-ji̍pSymbolNoneAcuteGraveNone (-p, -t, -k, -h)CircumflexmacronVertical line above (-p, -t, -k, -h)◌◌́◌̀◌◌̂◌̄◌̍Pitch˥˥˩˧˩˧ʔ˨˦˧˥ʔ5551313ʔ24335ʔExampletong (東)tóng (黨)tòng (棟)tok (督)tông (同)tōng (洞)to̍k (毒)

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. In addition to the seven standard tones (1–5, 7 and 8), the sixth tone, which has merged with the second tone in most dialects, may be written with a breve accent ⟨◌̆⟩ where it has not. A ninth tone may be found in some contracted forms (e.g. cha̋ng, 'yesterday'), and the first syllable of some triplicated adjectives (e.g. a̋ng-âng-âng, "very red") and some borrowings (e.g. li̋n-jín, 'carrot'), and this can be written with a double acute accent ⟨◌̋⟩.

Licit syllables Øbghjkkhlmnngpphstthtstshaabagaha kakhalamanangapaphasatathatsatshaaahahbah hah kahkhahlah nahpahphahsahtahthahtsahtshahahaiaibaigaihai kaikhailaimainaingaipaiphaisaitaithaitsaitshaiaiainnainn hainn kainnkhainn phainn tainn tsainnainnakakbakgakhak kakkhaklak pakphaksaktakthaktsaktshakakamam gamham kamkhamlam samtamthamtsamtshamamananbanganhan kankhanlan panphansantanthantsantshananangangbangganghangkangkhanglang pangphangsangtangthangtsangtshangangannann hann kannkhann phannsanntannthanntsanntshannannannh hannh sannh annhapap hap kapkhaplap saptapthaptsaptshapapatatbat hat katkhatlat pat sattatthattsattshatatauaubaugauhau kaukhaulaumaunaungaupauphausautauthautsautshauauauh kauh lauhmauhnauh phauh tauh tshauhauheebegehe kekhelemenengepephesetethetsetsheeehehbeh heh kehkhehlehmehnehngehpeh tehtsehtshehehennenn henn kennkhenn pennphennsenntennthenntsenntshennennennh hennh khennh ennhiibigihijikikhilimini piphisitithitsitshiiiaia giahiajiakiakhia mianiangia siatia tsiatshiaiaiahiah giahhiah kiahkhiahliah piahphiahsiahtiahthiahtsiahtshiahiahiak khiak piakphiaksiaktiak tshiakiakiamiam giamhiamjiamkiamkhiamliam siamtiamthiamtsiamtshiamiamianianbiangianhianjiankiankhianlian pianphiansiantianthiantsiantshianianiangiang gianghiangjiang khiangliang piangphiangsiang tsiangtshiangiangianniann hiann kiann piann sianntiannthianntsianntshiannianniannh hiannh iannhiapiap giaphiapjiapkiapkhiapliap siaptiapthiaptsiaptshiapiapiatiatbiatgiathiatjiatkiatkhiatliat piatphiatsiattiatthiattsiattshiatiatiauiaubiaugiauhiaujiaukiaukhiauliaumiauniaungiaupiauphiausiautiauthiautsiautshiauiauiauh hiauh khiauh ngiauh iauhiaunniaunn iaunn ih bih khih mihnih pihphihsihtihthihtsihtshihihikikbikgikhik kik lik pikphiksiktikthiktsiktshikikimim gimhimjimkimkhim lim simtimthimtsimtshimimininbinginhinjinkinkhinlin pinphinsintinthintsintshininingingginghing kingkhingling pingphingsingtingthingtsingtshinginginninn hinn kinnkhinn sinntinnthinntsinntshinninnioiobiogiohiojiokiokhiolio piophiosiotiothiotsiotshioioiohioh giohhioh kiohkhiohlioh siohtioh tsiohtshiohiohiokiok giokhiokjiokkiokkhiokliok sioktiokthioktsioktshiokiokiongiong gionghiongjiongkiongkhiongliong siongtiongthiongtsiongtshiongiongipip hipjipkipkhiplip sip tsiptshipipititbit hitjitkitkhit pitphitsittit tsittshititiuiubiugiuhiujiukiukhiuliu niu piu siutiuthiutsiutshiuiuiunniunn hiunn kiunnkhiunn siunntiunn tsiunntshiunniunniunnhiunnh hiunnh iunnhmm hm mmh hmh mhngng hng kngkhng mngnng png sngtngthngtsngtshngngngh hngh phnghsngh tshnghnghoobogoho kokholo pophosotothotsotshooohoh hoh koh loh pohphohsohtohthohtsohtshohohokokbokgokhok kokkhoklok pokphoksoktokthoktsoktshokokomom somtom omongongbonggonghong kongkhonglong pongphongsongtongthongtsongtshongongonnonn honn konn onnonnhonnh honnh onnhooooboogoohoo kookhooloomoonoongoopoophoosootoothootsootshooooooh mooh oohuubuguhujukukhulu puphusututhutsutshuuuauabuaguahua kuakhualuamuanua puaphuasuatuathuatsuatshuauauahuahbuah huahjuahkuahkhuahluah puahphuahsuah thuahtsuahtshuahuahuaiuai huai kuaikhuai suai uaiuainnuainn huainn kuainn suainn tsuainnuainnuanuanbuanguanhuan kuankhuanluan puanphuansuantuanthuantsuantshuanuanuanguang tshuanguanguannuann huann kuannkhuann puannphuannsuanntuannthuann tshuannuannuatuatbuatguathuat kuatkhuatluat puatphuatsuattuatthuattsuatuatueuebueguehuejuekuekhuelue puephuesuetue tsuetshueueuehuehbuehguehhueh kuehkhueh puehphuehsueh uehuhuh khuh puhphuh tuhthuhtsuhtshuhuhuiuibuiguihui kuikhuiluimui puiphuisuituithuitsuitshuiuiununbungunhunjunkunkhunlun punphunsuntunthuntsuntshununututbut hut kutkhutlut putphutsuttutthuttsuttshutut Øbghjkkhlmnngpphstthtstsh

Computing The IETF language tags register for Tâi-lô text.

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. 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.

+Tâi-lô tone charactersBase letter/Tone 1Tone 2Tone 3Tone 4Tone 5Tone 6Tone 7Tone 8Tone 9Combining marḱ (U+0301)̀ (U+0300)ĥ (U+0302)̌ (U+030C)̄ (U+0304)̍h (U+030D)̋ (U+030B)UppercaseAÁ (U+00C1)À (U+00C0)AHÂ (U+00C2)Ǎ (U+01CD)Ā (U+0100)A̍H (U+0041 U+030D)A̋ (U+0041 U+030B)EÉ (U+00C9)È (U+00C8)EHÊ (U+00CA)Ě (U+011A)Ē (U+0112)E̍H (U+0045 U+030D)E̋ (U+0045 U+030B)IÍ (U+00CD)Ì (U+00CC)IHÎ (U+00CE)Ǐ (U+01CF)Ī (U+012A)I̍H (U+0049 U+030D)I̋ (U+0049 U+030B)OÓ (U+00D3)Ò (U+00D2)OHÔ (U+00D4)Ǒ (U+01D1)Ō (U+014C)O̍H (U+004F U+030D)Ő (U+0150)UÚ (U+00DA)Ù (U+00D9)UHÛ (U+00DB)Ǔ (U+01D3)Ū (U+016A)U̍H (U+0055 U+030D)Ű (U+0170)MḾ (U+1E3E)M̀ (U+004D U+0300)MHM̂ (U+004D U+0302)M̌ (U+004D U+030C)M̄ (U+004D U+0304)M̍H (U+004D U+030D)M̋ (U+004D U+030B)NŃ (U+0143)Ǹ (U+01F8)NHN̂ (U+004E U+0302)Ň (U+0147)N̄ (U+004E U+0304)N̍H (U+004E U+030D)N̋ (U+004E U+030B)Lowercaseaá (U+00E1)à (U+00E0)ahâ (U+00E2)ǎ (U+01CE)ā (U+0101)a̍h (U+0061 U+030D)a̋ (U+0061 U+030B)eé (U+00E9)è (U+00E8)ehê (U+00EA)ě (U+011B)ē (U+0113)e̍h (U+0065 U+030D)e̋ (U+0065 U+030B)ií (U+00ED)ì (U+00EC)ihî (U+00EE)ǐ (U+01D0)ī (U+012B)i̍h (U+0069 U+030D)i̋ (U+0069 U+030B)oó (U+00F3)ò (U+00F2)ohô (U+00F4)ǒ (U+01D2)ō (U+014D)o̍h (U+006F U+030D)ő (U+0151)uú (U+00FA)ù (U+00F9)uhû (U+00FB)ǔ (U+01D4)ū (U+016B)u̍h (U+0075 U+030D)ű (U+0171)mḿ (U+1E3F)m̀ (U+006D U+0300)mhm̂ (U+006D U+0302)m̌ (U+006D U+030C)m̄ (U+006D U+0304)m̍h (U+006D U+030D)m̋ (U+006D U+030B)nń (U+0144)ǹ (U+01F9)nhn̂ (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. Characters not directly encoded in Unicode requires premade glyphs in fonts in order for applications to correctly display the characters.

Font support Fonts that currently support POJ includes:

Charis SIL DejaVu Doulos SIL Linux Libertine Taigi Unicode Source Sans Pro I.Ming (8.00 onwards) from Ichiten Font Project Fonts made by justfont foundry Fonts modified and release in GitHub repository POJFonts : POJ Phiaute, Gochi Hand POJ, Nunito POJ, POJ Vibes, and POJ Garamond. Fonts modified and released by But Ko based on Source Han Sans: Genyog, Genseki, Gensen; based on Source Han Serif: Genyo, Genwan, Genryu.

Notes

Words in native languages

References

External links (), Taiwanese Romanization System (Tai-lo) learning site by the Ministry of Education of Taiwan