How to discuss Taiwan elections in Mandarin

Exploring the unique language of democracy in Chinese

Jan 20, 2024

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Last weekend, people in Taiwan voted for Lai Ching-te (赖清德 Lài Qīngdé) to be their next president, ushering in an historic third term in power for the Democratic Progressive Party (民进党 mínjìndǎng), the DPP. Lai secured 5.58 million votes, 40% of the vote.

Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜 Hóu Yǒuyí) of the KMT (国民党 guómíndǎng), came second with 4.67 million people voting for him, or 33.49% of the vote.

Ko Wen-je (柯文哲 Kē Wénzhé) of the People's Party (民众党 mínzhòngdǎng), took 3.69 million votes, 26.46% of the total. The relatively new party was founded four years ago by Ko, as a "rational" alternative to the other two main parties, with a greater focus on domestic concerns.

The turnout was 71.86%, slightly lower than 74.9% four years ago, but an increase of 5.59% compared to 2016.

Taiwan’s democracy is as vibrant, loud, and proud as ever.

Although it's not quite as dangerous as it used to be.

When I lived in Tainan in 2004, the then President, Chen Shui-bian (陈水扁 Chén Shuǐbiǎn), or 阿扁 ā biǎn as he was known, was shot while campaigning in Tainan, the day before Taiwan's election, on 19 March that year. Chen survived and went on to win by 29,500 votes.

Now, back to 2024!

Some of the language used around the election is uniquely Taiwanese. With one phrase in particular capturing the sentiment:

Whether it’s at the site where candidates register for election, sweep the streets to solicit votes, or hold large-scale rallies, the shouts of "frozen garlic" can be heard with flags printed with the candidates' faces and names flying.
The phrase, “frozen garlic”, connects candidates and voters, bringing them together as a community. As the campaign enters the final stage of close combat, “frozen garlic” is not just a message of confidence, but also a conviction that must be firmed up in the final fierce confrontation that is accompanied by all the negatives in the campaign.
无论是在候选人登记参选的现场、扫街拜票、或是举办大型选举造势活动，“冻蒜”的喊声大多随著印有候选人头像与姓名的旗帜震荡飘扬，“冻蒜”将候选人与选民连结起来，作为选举共同体。也随著选战进入最终近身肉搏阶段，冻蒜不只是信心喊话，更像是在最后的激烈对抗伴随著一切的负面选战中，必须坚定的信念。

Originally borrowed from Hokkien (闽南话),"frozen garlic" is a rallying cry of support for candidates to "get elected" - a phrase that sounds similar in Taiwanese and Mandarin.

The term “frozen garlic” was blocked on mainland social media sites hours after the results were announced because it was used as a search term following the blocking of "Taiwan election" (台湾大选) from search results.

The characteristics of democracy in Taiwan go beyond language.

Religion, culture, and superstitions are also intertwined into the campaigning process:

With faith as a spiritual culture, candidates go to palaces and temples to worship and to secure votes in the local areas. They hold three sticks of incense in their hands to pray to heaven and earth, initiating a dialogue that connects people and gods. With the incense, they also pay "respect to the people", showing their piety towards local beliefs. The curling smoke rises to connect people and places, allowing the candidates to identify with the neighbourhoods. [1]
而信仰作为精神文化，前往宫庙拜庙，也在地方进行固票；候选人手上燃着的三炷香，除敬天、敬地，连结了人与神的对话，也“敬人”，彰显候选人对地方信仰的虔诚，袅袅烟灰通往的是人与地方，连结了候选人与在地的认同。[1]

So that's what we are exploring this week!

🎧What you’re missing in the member podcast 🎧

This week’s member podcast includes nearly 30 minutes of native Chinese audio.

With loads of extra phrases and insights into the unique Mandarin words and phrases used to discuss the elections in Taiwan.

Favourite Five

1. 冻蒜 dòng suàn

get elected!

无论是在候选人登记参选的现场、扫街拜票、或是举办大型选举造势活动，“冻蒜”的喊声大多随着印有候选人头像与姓名的旗帜震荡飘扬 - Whether it’s at the site where candidates register for election, sweep the streets to solicit votes, or hold large-scale rallies, the shouts of "frozen garlic" can be heard with flags printed with the candidates' faces and names flying. [1]
Background: Direct translation is “frozen garlic,” a homonym from Hokkien (pronounced tòng-suán), which sounds the same as the word for “get elected” (当选). Read more in this week's phrase of the week.

2. 车拚 chē pàn

fierce competition

最后压轴登场的赖清德，历经选前最后一周的造势车拚，以沙哑的声音向支持者喊话 - Lai Ching-te, who appeared last as the most important speaker, shouted to supporters with a hoarse voice as a result of a week of intensive campaigning. [2]
More: Another Taiwanese phrase. 拚 would be written as 拼 (pīn) in Mandarin.

3. 魔咒 mó zhòu

curse; a spell

成功破除台湾民主化以来，单一政党无法连任第三任期的魔咒 - Lai successfully broke the curse that no single party managed to be re-elected for a third term since Taiwan's democratisation., [3]

4. 朝小野大 cháo xiǎo yě dà

minority government

在赖清德当选后的政治板块，将是朝小野大的政局 - In the political landscape after Lai Ching-te's election, the opposition outnumbers the government.[3]
Background: 朝 cháo, dynasty, here means the ruling party; 野 yě is the opposition.
Related :
朝野 cháo yě - political circles, both the ruling party and the opposition

5. 青天白日满地红 qīng tiān bái rì mǎn dì hóng

the flag of the Republic of China

支持者挥舞青天白日满地红的中华民国国旗，现场旗海飞扬 - Supporters waved the flag of the Republic of China, featuring blue sky, white sun, and a field of red, creating a scene of fluttering flags. [2]
More: A description of what Taiwan's flag looks like: Blue sky, white sun, and a field of red.

Consuming the Conversation

Useful words

6. 党魁 dǎng kuí

party leader

现任党主席朱立伦在受媒体询问是否为因为败选辞去国民党党魁一职，朱立伦并未回复 - The current party chairman, Chu Li-lun, did not respond when asked by the media whether he would resign as the leader of the Kuomintang due to the defeat. [3]

7. 民意 mín yì

public opinion

我们并不完美，但我们一定要做最能回应民意的政党 - We are not perfect. But we should aim to be the political party that can best respond to public opinion. [3]

8. 拜票 bài piào

canvassing for votes

大选期间，候选人走进巷弄、弯进市场、在夜市拜票 - During the campaign period, candidates visited neighbourhoods, markets and night markets to canvass for votes. [1]
Note: A very Taiwanese expression. 拜 here means 拜访.
Related:
拉票 lā piào - canvassing for votes (more common on the mainland)
固票 gù piào - secure votes (Taiwan-specific phrase)
唱票 chàng piào - announcing votes

9. 簇拥 cù yōng

surround to show support; to flock around

台下选民簇拥着候选人走上数十分钟使抵达舞台 - It took the candidate over ten minutes to reach the stage, as voters below surrounded him to show their support. [1]

10. 声势 shēng shì

momentum; influence

假若人潮蔓延满过景福门，便会被视为声势惊人 - If the crowd extends beyond the Jingfu Gate, it will be seen as an astonishing momentum. [2]
Related:
声浪 shēng làng - sound waves; roar of the crowd

11. 阵营 zhèn yíng

camp; faction; political grouping

凯道的路权则由民进党阵营拿下 - The right of way on Ketagalan Boulevard was secured by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) camp. [2]
Related:
蓝营 lán yíng - "Blue Camp" KMT
绿营 lù yíng - "Green camp" DPP
白营 bái yíng - "White camp" TPP

12. 抹红 mǒ hóng

smear with red; to discredit as a CCP apologist

不管民众党、柯文哲、怎么污辱我、糟蹋我、抹红我，我一句坏话都没说 - No matter how the People's Party or Ko Wen-je insults me, mistreats me, or tries to discredit me as a CCP apologist, I haven't said a single bad word. [2]

Three-character phrases

13. 擂台战 lèi tái zhàn

showdown; decisive battle

在“输人不输阵”的对决态势下，成为最后一场气势的擂台战 - In the spirit of "not losing the momentum even if the candidate loses", the supporters made this rally the final and decisive showdown. [2]

14. 本命区 běn mìng qū

home constituency

若从蓝绿白的“本命区”来看，赖清德在执政八年的台南市获得57万票、得票率51%，被视为深绿的台南票仓略显褪色 - Judging from the blue, green and white "home consituencies", Lai Ching-te received 570,000 votes or 51% of the vote in Tainan City, where he has been in power for eight years. So Tainan, which is considered to be dark green, has faded slightly. [3]

Idioms

15. 摩肩擦踵 mó jiān cā zhǒng

shoulder to shoulder; crowded

这晚的造势场，支持者摩肩擦踵比邻或坐或站 - In this evening's campaign rally, supporters are shoulder to shoulder, sitting or standing side by side. [2]
Related:
络绎不绝 luò yì bù jué - endless stream; continuous flow of people
水泄不通 shuǐ xiè bù tōng - water cannot leak through, extremely crowded
满满当当 mǎn mǎn dāng dāng - filled to capacity; packed
高朋满座 gāo péng mǎn zuò - full of distinguished guests; a lively and bustling scene

16. 义无反顾 yì wú fǎn gù

act without hesitation for a just cause; forge ahead with no regrets

“最好的选择柯文哲、唯一的选择柯文哲”、“义无反顾拼一次” - "The best choice is Ko Wen-je, the only choice is Ko Wen-je." "Acting without hesitation, take the chance." [2]

17. 旗鼓相当 qí gǔ xiāng dāng

evenly matched; evenly poised

2012年大选，20至29岁选民对马英九的支持度是四成，对蔡英文的支持度大约三成六，双方旗鼓相当 - In the 2012 presidential election, support for Ma Ying-jeou was around 40% among voters aged 20 to 29, and for Tsai Ing-wen, it was approximately 36%, making the two sides evenly matched. [4]

Phrases

18. 造势晚会 zào shì wǎn huì

campaign rally in the evening

像是一场不曾落幕的派对，造势晚会是人们在大选期间的夜间消遣 - Like an endless party, the campaign rally is a evening pastime for people during the election season. [1]

19. 读秒阶段 dú miǎo jiē duàn

countdown; final moments

台湾大选进入最终读秒阶段 - The Taiwan presidential election enters its final countdown. [2]

20. 败选演说 bài xuǎn yǎn shuō

concession speech

在发表败选演说期间，侯友宜三度向支持者鞠躬致歉 - During the speech conceding defeat, Hou You-yi bowed three times to apologise to his supporters. [3]

21. 政党轮替 zhèng dǎng lún tì

party alternation, government alternation

非常遗憾，未能完成政党轮替，我让大家失望，在此，我要深深表达我12万分的歉意：抱歉，对不起大家 - Unfortunately, I’ve let you down that our party failed to replace the incumbent government. Please allow me to express my deepest apology: I’m very sorry. I’ve disappointed you. [3]

22. 近身肉搏 jìn shēn ròu bó

close-quarters combat; hand-to-hand struggle

随着选战进入最终近身肉搏阶段，冻蒜不只是信心喊话 - As the campaign enters the final stage of close combat, “frozen garlic” is not just a message of confidence, [1]

23. 振臂呼喊 zhèn bì hū hǎn

to wave one's arms and shout

现场开始鼓噪，热烈的情绪迸发，台上台下皆振臂呼喊 - The scene started buzzing, and fervent emotions erupted as people were waving their arms and shouting both on and off the stage. [1]
Related:
振臂一呼 zhèn bì yì hū - to raise one's arm to call for action
齐声呐喊 qí shēng nà hǎn - to shout together in unison

24. 热情高涨 rè qíng gāo zhǎng

enthusiasm is high; spirited

在密集的大型造势活动助燃下，选民热情高涨 - Fueled by intensive large-scale campaign rallies, the enthusiasm of voters is running high. [2]

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