The Taiwanese Romanization System (Taiwanese Romanization: Tâi-uân Lô-má-jī Phing-im Hong-àn, Chinese: 臺灣閩南語羅馬字拼音方案; pinyin: Táiwān Mǐnnányǔ Luómǎzì Pīnyīn Fāng'àn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-ôan Lô-má-jī Pheng-im Hong-àn; often referred to as Tâi-lô) is a transcription system for Taiwanese Hokkien. It is derived from Pe̍h-ōe-jī and since 2006 has been one of the officially promoted phonetic notation system by Taiwan's Ministry of Education.[1]
It is nearly identical to Taiwanese Language Phonetic Alphabet (TLPA) Romanization for Hakka apart from using ts tsh j instead of c ch j for the fricatives /ts tsʰ dz/.
Taiwanese Romanization System
Contents
1Alphabet
2Values
2.1Consonants
2.2Vowels & Rhymes
2.3Tones
3Notes
4References
5External links
Alphabet
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.
Capital letter
A
B
E
G
H
I
J
K
Kh
L
M
N
Ng
O
Oo
P
Ph
S
T
Th
Ts
Tsh
U
Lower case
a
b
e
g
h
i
j
k
kh
l
m
n
ng
nn
o
oo
p
ph
s
t
th
ts
tsh
u
"nn" is only used after a vowel to express nasalization, so it has no capital letter.
Palatalization occurs when "J, S, Ts, Tsh" followed by "i", so "Ji, Si, Tsi, Tshi" sometimes governed as trigraphs and tetragraphs.
Of the 10 unused basic Latin letters, "R" is sometimes used to express dialectal vowels, while the others (C, D, F, Q, V, W, X, Y, Z) are only used in loanwords.
Values
Consonants
Initials
Bilabial
Alveolar
Alveolo-palatal
Velar
Glottal
Voiceless
Voiced
Voiceless
Voiced
Voiceless
Voiced
Voiceless
Voiced
Voiceless
Nasal
m [m] ㄇ 毛(moo)
n [n] ㄋ 耐(nāi)
ng [ŋ] ㄫ 雅(ngá)
Plosive
Unaspirated
p [p] ㄅ 邊(pian)
b [b] ㆠ 文(bûn)
t [t] ㄉ 地(tē)
k [k] ㄍ 求(kiû)
g [g] ㆣ 語(gí)
Aspirated
ph [pʰ] ㄆ 波(pho)
th [tʰ] ㄊ 他(thann)
kh [kʰ] ㄎ 去(khì)
Affricate
Unaspirated
ts [ts] ㄗ 曾(tsan)
j [dz] ㆡ 熱(jua̍h)
tsi [tɕ] ㄐ 尖(tsiam)
ji [dʑ] ㆢ 入(ji̍p)
Aspirated
tsh [tsʰ] ㄘ 出(tshut)
tshi [tɕʰ] ㄑ 手(tshiú)
Fricative
s [s] ㄙ 衫(sann)
si [ɕ] ㄒ 寫(siá)
h [h] ㄏ 喜(hí)
Lateral
l [l] ㄌ 柳(liú)
Finals
Bilabial
Alveolar
Velar
Glottal
Nasal consonant
-m [m] ㆬ
-n [n] ㄣ
-ng [ŋ] ㆭ
Stop consonant
-p [p̚] ㆴ
-t [t̚] ㆵ
-k [k̚] ㆶ
-h [ʔ] ㆷ
Syllabic consonant
Bilabial
Velar
Nasal
m [m̩] ㆬ 姆(ḿ)
ng [ŋ̍] ㆭ 酸(sng)
Vowels & Rhymes
Simple & Nasal
Front
Central
Back
Simple
Nasal
Simple
Simple
Nasal
Close
i [i] ㄧ 衣(i)
inn [ĩ] ㆪ 圓(înn)
u [u] ㄨ 污(u)
unn [ũ] ㆫ 張(tiunn)
Mid
e [e] ㆤ 禮(lé)
enn [ẽ] ㆥ 生(senn)
o[ə] ㄜ 高(ko)
oo [ɔ] ㆦ 烏(oo)
onn [ɔ̃] ㆧ 翁(onn)
Open
a [a] ㄚ 查(tsa)
ann [ã] ㆩ 衫(sann)
Dialect
Tâi-lô
IPA
Bopomofo
ir
[ɨ]
ㆨ
er
[ə]
ㄜ
ee
[ɛ]
ㄝ
ere
[əe]
ㄜㆤ[lower-alpha 1]
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 syllabus
Nasal
Plosive
[m]
[n]
[ŋ]
[p̚]
[t̚]
[k̚]
[ʔ]
[a]
a
ann
am
an
ang
ap
at
ak
ah
annh
[ai]
ai
ainn
aih
ainnh
[au]
au
auh
[e]
e
enn
eh
ennh
[i]
i
inn
im
in
ing
ip
it
ik
ih
innh
[ia]
ia
iann
iam
ian
iang
iap
iat
iak
iah
iannh
[iau]
iau
iaunn
iauh
[iə]
io
ioh
[iɔ]
iong
iok
[iu]
iu
iunn
iuh
iunnh
Vowel(s)
Open syllabus
Nasal
Plosive
[m]
[n]
[ŋ]
[p̚]
[t̚]
[k̚]
[ʔ]
[ə]
o
oh
[ɔ]
oo
onn
om
ong
op
ok
ooh
onnh
[u]
u
un
ut
uh
[ua]
ua
uann
uan
uat
uah
[uai]
uai
uainn
[ue]
ue
ueh
[ui]
ui
[m̩]
m
-
mh
[ŋ̍]
ng
-
ngh
ing pronounced [ɪəŋ], ik pronounced [ɪək̚].
Tones
Tone No.
1
2
3
4
5
7
8
Name
陰平
上聲
陰去
陰入
陽平
陽去
陽入
im-pîng
siōng-siann
im-khì
im-ji̍p
iông-pîng
iông-khì
iông-ji̍p
Symbol
None
Acute
Grave
None (-p, -t, -k, -h)
Circumflex
macron
Vertical line above (-p, -t, -k, -h)
´
`
ˆ
ˉ
̍
Pitch
˥˥
˥˩
˧˩
˧ʔ
˨˦
˧˧
˥ʔ
55
51
31
3ʔ
24
33
5ʔ
Example
tong (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.
Licit syllables[2]
Ø
b
g
h
j
k
kh
l
m
n
ng
p
ph
s
t
th
ts
tsh
a
a
ba
ga
ha
ka
kha
la
ma
na
nga
pa
pha
sa
ta
tha
tsa
tsha
a
ah
ah
bah
hah
kah
khah
lah
nah
pah
phah
sah
tah
thah
tsah
tshah
ah
ai
ai
bai
gai
hai
kai
khai
lai
mai
nai
ngai
pai
phai
sai
tai
thai
tsai
tshai
ai
ainn
ainn
hainn
kainn
khainn
phainn
tainn
tsainn
ainn
ak
ak
bak
gak
hak
kak
khak
lak
pak
phak
sak
tak
thak
tsak
tshak
ak
am
am
gam
ham
kam
kham
lam
sam
tam
tham
tsam
tsham
am
an
an
ban
gan
han
kan
khan
lan
pan
phan
san
tan
than
tsan
tshan
an
ang
ang
bang
gang
hang
kang
khang
lang
pang
phang
sang
tang
thang
tsang
tshang
ang
ann
ann
hann
kann
khann
phann
sann
tann
thann
tsann
tshann
ann
annh
hannh
sannh
annh
ap
ap
hap
kap
khap
lap
sap
tap
thap
tsap
tshap
ap
at
at
bat
hat
kat
khat
lat
pat
sat
tat
that
tsat
tshat
at
au
au
bau
gau
hau
kau
khau
lau
mau
nau
ngau
pau
phau
sau
tau
thau
tsau
tshau
au
auh
kauh
lauh
mauh
nauh
phauh
tauh
tshauh
auh
e
e
be
ge
he
ke
khe
le
me
ne
nge
pe
phe
se
te
the
tse
tshe
e
eh
eh
beh
heh
keh
kheh
leh
meh
neh
ngeh
peh
seh
teh
theh
tseh
tsheh
eh
enn
enn
henn
kenn
khenn
penn
phenn
senn
tenn
thenn
tsenn
tshenn
enn
ennh
hennh
khennh
ennh
i
i
bi
gi
hi
ji
ki
khi
li
mi
ni
pi
phi
si
ti
thi
tsi
tshi
i
ia
ia
gia
hia
jia
kia
khia
mia
nia
ngia
sia
tia
tsia
tshia
ia
iah
iah
giah
hiah
kiah
khiah
liah
piah
phiah
siah
tiah
thiah
tsiah
tshiah
iah
iak
khiak
piak
phiak
siak
tiak
tshiak
iak
iam
iam
giam
hiam
jiam
kiam
khiam
liam
siam
tiam
thiam
tsiam
tshiam
iam
ian
ian
bian
gian
hian
jian
kian
khian
lian
pian
phian
sian
tian
thian
tsian
tshian
ian
iang
iang
giang
hiang
jiang
khiang
liang
piang
phiang
siang
tsiang
tshiang
iang
iann
iann
hiann
kiann
piann
siann
tiann
thiann
tsiann
tshiann
iann
iannh
hiannh
iannh
iap
iap
giap
hiap
jiap
kiap
khiap
liap
siap
tiap
thiap
tsiap
tshiap
iap
iat
iat
biat
giat
hiat
jiat
kiat
khiat
liat
piat
phiat
siat
tiat
thiat
tsiat
tshiat
iat
iau
iau
biau
giau
hiau
jiau
kiau
khiau
liau
miau
niau
ngiau
piau
phiau
siau
tiau
thiau
tsiau
tshiau
iau
iauh
hiauh
khiauh
ngiauh
iauh
iaunn
iaunn
iaunn
ih
bih
khih
mih
nih
pih
phih
sih
tih
thih
tsih
tshih
ih
ik
ik
bik
gik
hik
kik
lik
pik
phik
sik
tik
thik
tsik
tshik
ik
im
im
gim
him
jim
kim
khim
lim
sim
tim
thim
tsim
tshim
im
in
in
bin
gin
hin
jin
kin
khin
lin
pin
phin
sin
tin
thin
tsin
tshin
in
ing
ing
ging
hing
king
khing
ling
ping
phing
sing
ting
thing
tsing
tshing
ing
inn
inn
hinn
kinn
khinn
sinn
tinn
thinn
tsinn
tshinn
inn
io
io
bio
gio
hio
jio
kio
khio
lio
pio
phio
sio
tio
thio
tsio
tshio
io
ioh
ioh
gioh
hioh
kioh
khioh
lioh
sioh
tioh
tsioh
tshioh
ioh
iok
iok
giok
hiok
jiok
kiok
khiok
liok
siok
tiok
thiok
tsiok
tshiok
iok
iong
iong
giong
hiong
jiong
kiong
khiong
liong
siong
tiong
thiong
tsiong
tshiong
iong
ip
ip
hip
jip
kip
khip
lip
sip
tsip
tship
ip
it
it
bit
hit
jit
kit
khit
pit
phit
sit
tit
tsit
tshit
it
iu
iu
biu
giu
hiu
jiu
kiu
khiu
liu
niu
piu
siu
tiu
thiu
tsiu
tshiu
iu
iunn
iunn
hiunn
kiunn
khiunn
siunn
tiunn
tsiunn
tshiunn
iunn
iunnh
iunnh
hiunnh
iunnh
m
m
hm
m
mh
hmh
mh
ng
ng
hng
kng
khng
mng
nng
png
sng
tng
thng
tsng
tshng
ng
ngh
hngh
phngh
sngh
tshngh
ngh
o
o
bo
go
ho
ko
kho
lo
po
pho
so
to
tho
tso
tsho
o
oh
oh
hoh
koh
loh
poh
phoh
soh
toh
thoh
tsoh
tshoh
oh
ok
ok
bok
gok
hok
kok
khok
lok
pok
phok
sok
tok
thok
tsok
tshok
ok
om
om
som
tom
om
ong
ong
bong
gong
hong
kong
khong
long
pong
phong
song
tong
thong
tsong
tshong
ong
onn
onn
honn
konn
onn
onnh
onnh
honnh
onnh
oo
oo
boo
goo
hoo
koo
khoo
loo
moo
noo
ngoo
poo
phoo
soo
too
thoo
tsoo
tshoo
oo
ooh
mooh
ooh
u
u
bu
gu
hu
ju
ku
khu
lu
pu
phu
su
tu
thu
tsu
tshu
u
ua
ua
bua
gua
hua
kua
khua
lua
mua
nua
pua
phua
sua
tua
thua
tsua
tshua
ua
uah
uah
buah
huah
juah
kuah
khuah
luah
puah
phuah
suah
thuah
tsuah
tshuah
uah
uai
uai
huai
kuai
khuai
suai
uai
uainn
uainn
huainn
kuainn
suainn
tsuainn
uainn
uan
uan
buan
guan
huan
kuan
khuan
luan
puan
phuan
suan
tuan
thuan
tsuan
tshuan
uan
uang
uang
tshuang
uang
uann
uann
huann
kuann
khuann
puann
phuann
suann
tuann
thuann
tshuann
uann
uat
uat
buat
guat
huat
kuat
khuat
luat
puat
phuat
suat
tuat
thuat
tsuat
uat
ue
ue
bue
gue
hue
jue
kue
khue
lue
pue
phue
sue
tue
tsue
tshue
ue
ueh
ueh
bueh
gueh
hueh
kueh
khueh
pueh
phueh
sueh
ueh
uh
uh
khuh
puh
phuh
tuh
thuh
tsuh
tshuh
uh
ui
ui
bui
gui
hui
kui
khui
lui
mui
pui
phui
sui
tui
thui
tsui
tshui
ui
un
un
bun
gun
hun
jun
kun
khun
lun
pun
phun
sun
tun
thun
tsun
tshun
un
ut
ut
but
hut
kut
khut
lut
put
phut
sut
tut
thut
tsut
tshut
ut
Ø
b
g
h
j
k
kh
l
m
n
ng
p
ph
s
t
th
ts
tsh
Notes
↑In version of Ngoo Siu-le (zh), /ɘe/ [ere] is spelled as [oe] while the Phonetic Symbol "ㄜ" is replaced with "".
References
↑Cheng Jei-cheng (2008) (in Chinese). Taiwan Minnanyu Luomazi Pinyin Fang'an Shiyong Shouce (2nd ed.). ROC Ministry of Education. ISBN 978-986-01-6637-8. http://english.moe.gov.tw/public/Attachment/9851214271.pdf.
↑ (in zh). 2007. ISBN 978-986-00-7755-1. http://khai.mtwww.mt.au.edu.tw/ezcatfiles/b077/img/img/276/tshiutsheh.pdf.
External links
臺灣閩南語羅馬拼音及其發音學習網, Taiwanese Romanization System (Tai-lo) learning site by Ministry of Education, Taiwan