A number of special Chinese words

[Carl Chen]

I just saw this picture on the Internet.

Perhaps you are interested in these special words.

 

But there is only Taiwanese pinyin.

 

 

This picture was compiled a number of special Chinese words, and each word is composed by the three same characters.

For example, 犇 (Bēn) is composed by the three same characters, 牛 (Niú).

 

You can just take a look for fun because only a few words in this picture are commonly used in conversation.

 

For example,

鑫 (three words, 金) is commonly used in 鑫鑫腸 which is kind of small sausage put in the hot pot.

轟 (three words, 車) is commonly used in 轟炸機 which is kind of plane. Or in 轟隆隆 which is the rumble.

 

 

By the way,

 

Actually I have no idea about the specific term for these words.

I only find out the Chinese term for these words is 複體字.

 

Does anyone know the English translation for 複體字?

[Demonic_Duck]

I guess most of these are pretty rare, but 鑫 is somewhat common in names (I've also seen it in names of shops/restaurants).

 

I'm interested that you say "Taiwanese pinyin" for bopomofo/注音符号. Do people in Taiwan call it 拼音? If not, what do they call it? I know in the mainland most people only have a vague idea what it is at all... they always ask me "why do you have Japanese on your dictionary app?" and then don't believe me when I tell them it's not, haha.

[Carl Chen]

We don't call it 拼音, but we call it 注音.

For example, 漢的注音是ㄏㄢˋ.

 

I was afraid that some people may not understand what 注音符號 is, so I use the term, Taiwanese pinyin, for better understanding.

[Hofmann]

I have seen them called 三重字. There aren't very many.

[imron]

I was afraid that some people may not understand what 注音符號 is, so I use the term, Taiwanese pinyin, for better understanding.

It's probably best to always use the actual name for things and assume that people will either understand or ask/look it up if they don't. Otherwise it will just confuse people.

[Demonic_Duck]

Well, in this case it was obvious from context, but it's true that previously there really was a "Taiwanese pinyin" (通用拼音, which Wikipedia says was official in Taiwan from 2002-2008).

[OneEye]

Yeah, but that's called Tongyong Pinyin. 注音符號 is either called zhuyin or bopomofo in English. "Taiwanese pinyin" sounds like a romanization system for 台語, like 台羅 or something.

 

I agree with imron, it's usually best to use the actual word than to assume people won't know what you mean and make up a new way of saying it. That just makes it more confusing, because people have to first figure out what you actually mean.