Glossary

Disclaimer: These terms are ones used in Taiwan, and may be different from  Mainland China/HK/Singapore.

Feel free to contribute your own terms in the comments below and we will update our list and credit you.

For safety reasons, make sure your belayer and you agree  before using any set of climbing commands 

Commands

On belay? – ”Am I on belay？“ – 準備攀登 [Zhǔnbèi pāndēng]

Belay on  - “I’ve checked everything and it’s good. I’ve put you on belay” – 確保完成 [Quèbǎo wánchéng]

Climbing “I’m going to climb now. You better have me on belay” – 開始攀登 [Kāishǐ pāndēng]

Climb on “Go ahead and climb. All systems checked” –  請攀登 [Qǐng pāndēng]

Take rope.  – “Take in rope so I can hang right here” – Take or 收[Shōu] or 收繩[Shōu shéng]

Falling -  ”I’m gonna fall soon if not immediately. Be ready for it.” – 墜落 [Zhuìluò]

Lower -  ”Lower me” – 下降[Xiàjiàng]

Rock/Rope!  - “watch out, there is something falling down” – 落石 [Luòshí]/落繩[Luò shéng]

Slack - “Give me some slack(e.g. to clip in)”   – 給繩[Gěi shéng]/ 鬆[Sōng] / 鬆繩[Sōng shéng]

Off-belay  – “I’m in a safe position where I can’t fall. Take me off belay” – 確保接觸[Quèbǎo Jiēchù]

Belay off - “I’ve taken you off belay. If you fall you’re screwed” – 確保接觸[Quèbǎo Jiēchù]

Watch me! - “I’m about to do the crux. Watch me and be ready to catch my fall!” – 注意！ [Zhùyì】

Commonly used English terms

English level varies with Taiwanese climbers, but a few English terms are commonly used and universally known.

Bolt

Take

Off-Belay

Over - short for overhang

Top Rope

This list is far from comprehensive so we recommend you learn at least a few of the following terms if you plan to climb with Taiwanese climbers.

 

Key Chinese Terms

攀岩 - Rock climbing

先鋒攀登 - Lead（Sport) Climbing

傳統攀登 - Trad Climbing

抱石 - Bouldering （lit. "hug rock")

登山，爬山 - Mountaineering or Hiking. (lit. "ascend mountain")

（雙）八字結 - Figure 8 knot

完攀 - "Send"(ascend) a route

吊帶 - Harness

扁帶 - Sling

快扣 - Quickdraw

鉤環/大D - Carabiner

耳片 - Bolt, but the english "Bolt" is also used often in taiwan.

粉 - Chalk

粉袋 - Chalkbag

確保器 - Belay Device You will also often hear "豬鼻子" which means "pigs nose" and is what Taiwanese climbers call an ATC

Sticker - Taiwanese English for Stick clip

倒拉 - undercling

側拉 - Sidepull

上方確保 - Toproping

路線 - Route or [bouldering] Problem

上攀 – route climbing(as opposed to bouldering). Means “Climbing up”

確保 – Belaying

先鋒 攀登- Lead climbing

岩鞋 – Rock shoes

岩點 – climbing hold

腳點- Foothold

手點 – Handhold

象鼻子 – Tube style belay device, such as an ATC

勾腳- “Hook feet”. Usually means heel hook but technically can also refer to toe hooks. Usually for toe hook people say “勾腳尖“

動態 – Dynamic ， used for movement（動作） or belay（確保）

靜態 – Static， used for movement（動作） or belay（確保）

完攀 – Send/complete a route

裂隙 – Crack

天花板 – Roof

墜落係數- Fall Factor

垂降 – Rappel/Abseil

 

Key English Terms (these terms don’t have direct chinese equivalents)

Beta - the sequence of moves used to solve a route or a problem.   解路線的方法

Send (‘scend) – ascend or climb up the whole route – 完攀. Contributed by wdwbock

Match (hands or feet)  - to  put more than one body part on a single hold. 雙腳或者雙手在一個點上。中文平常會說”換腳” 或 “換手”

Problem – Bouldering routes are very short, so they’re called problems instead of routes. 抱石路線

Spray – to talk a lot of shit. Boasting and giving unwanted beta are the most common forms of spray. 打嘴炮

Flash – To send something on the first try, without hanging on the rope. 第一次嘗試就完攀

On-sight [flash]- To send something on the first try without receiving beta or touching the holds. 第一次看到一個路線，一次完攀它。

[climbing] Rack – Your climbing gear. Called a rack because traditionally, climbing involved a ton of gear that you carefully racked on  a sling.

Redpoint – To send a route on lead, without hanging on the rope or any kind of  ”cheating”.

Deck – from  “hit the deck”. to hit the ground. Not fun and to be avoided at all costs if you’re not bouldering. 地面。意思平常是墜落到地面。

Slab –  a climb where the route is less than vertical. 90度的牆

Second – The person leading a climb is the Lead climber. the person who follows is the “second” .在Multipitch攀岩方式，Second 是第二個攀岩者（用上方確保時的）

Sloper – a round hold without any good positive edge or other kind of solid hold . to use this type of hold you have to get a lot of skin on it and get your center of gravity below it. 摩擦點

Topo[graphy] -Guidebook or a map or photo showing a crag, where the climbs are, and/or the lines of the routes on the rock. 路线简图．有已经存在的保护点标志和简单地形标志。