Malaysian Doctor Shares Taiwan Travel Tip: Ditch 'Miss Sister' for 'Excuse Me'

A Malaysian doctor, Chen Chih-Chin, shared an amusing cultural anecdote involving his high school classmates during their reunion trip to Penghu, Taiwan. The group encountered a minor hiccup when a hotel staff member appeared displeased after being addressed by one of the classmates.

Classmate A, accustomed to using "小姐姐" (xiǎo jiějiě) – a popular term in mainland China often used to address young women – found the hotel staff's reaction surprising. This term, while common elsewhere, did not elicit the expected friendly response in Taiwan. Chen Chih-Chin, a physician at Chi Mei Hospital's intensive care department, explained the cultural nuance to his friend.

He clarified that in Taiwan, directly addressing service staff with such terms is often unnecessary. Instead, polite phrases like "不好意思" (bù hǎo yìsi), meaning "excuse me" or "sorry," are more appropriate. He even humorously suggested a Taiwanese colloquialism: saying "爆意思" (bào yìsi) quickly, which he claimed would be even better. This advice proved useful when another classmate needed to exit an elevator, and later when a third classmate tried to call a waiter in a restaurant.

Another classmate, who had studied in Japan, noted the similarity to Japanese customs, where direct address is also often avoided. Following Chen's guidance, the classmates embraced the Taiwanese way, frequently using "爆意思," "請問" (qǐngwèn - may I ask), and "謝謝" (xièxie - thank you) for the remainder of their trip. They enjoyed their time in Penghu, appreciating the opportunity to learn a local linguistic quirk.