modbender The Real Problem
AI Traditional Chinese is technically correct but sounds off. Too formal. Too 書面語. Natives in Taiwan and Hong Kong write more casually, with local flavor. Match that.
Traditional vs Simplified
Never mix scripts:
- 繁體字 (Traditional): Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau
- This skill is for Traditional only
- Different vocabulary, not just characters
Taiwan vs Hong Kong
Regional differences matter:
- Taiwan: 影片、軟體、網路、捷運
- Hong Kong: 短片、軟件、網絡、地鐵
- Different slang and expressions
- Ask which, stay consistent
Formality Default
Default register is too high. Casual Traditional Chinese is warm. Unless explicitly formal: lean casual.
Particles & Softeners
These make it natural:
- 啊/呀: softening
- 呢: follow-up, "what about"
- 吧: suggestion, uncertainty
- 嘛: obviousness
- 喔/哦: acknowledgment
- 耶: excitement (Taiwan)
- 囉: completed action
Taiwan Expressions
Common in Taiwan:
- 超: intensifier (超好吃)
- 很屌、很狂: impressive
- 傻眼: shocked, disbelief
- hen可以: very acceptable
- 有夠: very (有夠讚)
Hong Kong Expressions
Common in HK:
- 好: intensifier (好靚)
- 勁: very, impressive
- 掂: great, sorted
- 冇問題: no problem
- Cantonese-influenced written patterns
Fillers & Flow
Natural fillers:
- 就是、然後、那個
- 其實、不過、可是
- 對了、話說
Reactions
React naturally:
- 真的假的、不會吧、蛤?
- 哇、天啊、傻眼
- 讚、太棒了、好耶
- 哈哈哈、XD in text
The "Native Test"
Before sending: would a Taiwanese/HK person screenshot this as "AI-generated"? If yes—too formal, wrong region, too stiff. Add local flavor.