Glossary

Disclaimer: These terms are used in Taiwan. Different ones will be used in 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 

Contributors: Tung-Wei Yang, Jeff Lin, Danger Zhang

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.” – “Fall!” or 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” – 解除確保[Jiěchú Quèbǎo ]

Belay off - “I’ve taken you off belay. If you fall you’re screwed” – 確保解除[Quèbǎo Jiěchú]

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

Drop-Knee

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

Climbing is a relatively new and nascent sport in Taiwan. The terms below are the standard ones, but regional usage differs even in the same city.

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, especially hanger type bolt, but the english "Bolt" is also used often in Taiwan.

化學管 - Glue-in bolt. but the engilsh "Bolt" is more commonly used.

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， 到抓 - undercling

側拉 - Sidepull

摩擦點，Open點 - Sloper

捏 - Pinch. Some taiwanese will just say “Pinch"

摳點 - Crimper. Some taiwanese will say "crimp" or "close”點. "Close" referring to a closed crimp.

指洞 - Pocket

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

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

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

交叉手 – cross-over move

換手 – Match/switch hands

換腳 – Match/switch feet

掛腳 – Heel hook move

勾腳- Toe hook move. Can be 勾腳尖 to be more clear.

象鼻子 – Mammut Smart belay Device, because it looks like an elephants trunk

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 and difficult, so they’re called problems instead of routes. 抱石路線

Spray – to talk excessively. 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，不用take，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，不用take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”. 紅點完攀

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度以上的牆，比如熱海。

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，Open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. 路線圖，路線書