Anyone; any Tom, Dick, or Harry

A-niau a-káu

Hiān-chú sî a-niau a-kau lóng khó ē tio̍h tāi-ha̍k.

These days, anybody can get into college.

Brain drain

Jîn-châi gōa-liû

MOE Completes List of Suggested Minnanyu Characters

On Friday, the Ministry of Education released its third and final “official” list of recommended Hanzi for writing 700 common Taiwanese words. I could quibble with some of them, but they’re mostly good, common-sense choices.

The second tranche is here, and the first here. You can even print out a one-sided or two-sided handout.

Monkey see, monkey do

Tōa káu peh chhiûⁿ, sè káu khòaⁿ iūⁿ.

(“The big dog climbs the wall, the small dog does the same.”)

Also: Khòaⁿ iūⁿ o̍h8 iūⁿ.

Even better

· 

[Note: for some reason, I can't get the eighth-tone markers to show up, so I've added the numbers.]

A: Lâng kóng iù-jî kàu-io̍k8 chin iàu-kín. Gí-giân thàn-chá, khah ū hāu-kó.

A: Só·-í goán sun tha̍k siang-gí iù-tī-hn̂g.

B: Chán oh, thàn chá o̍h8 Eng-gí.

A: M̄-sī Eng-gí…

…sī Hôa-gí kap kheh-gí.

B: Koh khah chán!

———————-

A: “People say that childhood education is very important.  If you study a language while young, it’s more effective.”

A: “Therefore, our grandson studies at a bilingual preschool.”

B: “That’s great, studying English while still so young.”

A: “It’s not English…

…it’s Mandarin and Hakka.”

B: “Even better!”

————————–

  (C) 2007 Tân Gī-jîn, and used with his permission.

Universal education

Phó·-ki̍p kàu-io̍k

Bilingual

Siang-gí

Siang-gí iù-tī-hn̂g

A bilingual pre-school

Siang-gí ê kàu-io̍k

Bilingual education

Skip class, play hooky

Tô-ha̍k, tô-o̍h, tô-khò, thau-cháu-o̍h

Consult (a reference), refer to

Chham-o̍at

Be completely uneducated

Pak-tó∙-lāi bô pòaⁿ tih ba̍k-chúi.

[Literally: "Have not a drop of ink in one's belly"]