When One Salary Isn’t Enough: An English Lesson on Taiwan’s Slash Generation

When a master's degree only covers the rent for a studio apartment in Taipei, something is wrong.

This is the real feeling behind Taiwan's Slash generation. Not freedom. Not trendy personal branding. For many people, it's simple math. One salary doesn't cover rent, food, transportation, and debt. So they add another job. Then another one.

If you want better English speaking practice, this is the kind of topic worth practicing. It's real. It affects work, money, stress, and identity. And if someone asks, “What do you think about side hustles in Taiwan?” you need more than one-word answers.

The Scissors Gap Is Real

Taiwan's economy can appear strong from the outside. GDP figures sound positive. Some industries are performing very well.

But many workers don't feel that growth in their daily lives.

Here is the gap:

• Median monthly wage: NT$38,319
• Average studio rent in Taipei: NT$$14,400
• A graduate earning NT$34,000 may spend 42% in rental income alone
• Taipei's price-to-income ratio is 16.36x
• That's higher than London, New York, and Toronto.
• From 2012 to 2023, wages only grew 14%
• In the same period, housing prices surged 77%
• 69.77% of salaried employees earn below-average wages

This is the structural problem.

People sometimes call it a “trend,” but that word is too soft. This is a scissors gap. Living costs keep rising. Wages move slowly. The gap between them widens.

That's why side hustles are growing:

• 145,000 food delivery workers, up from 45,000 in 2019
• 39% salaried workers have a side hustle
• 57% of Gen Z Have side hustles
• 48% of Millennials I do too
• 93.2% They are willing to become a slash person

If you want related practice, you can also read Taiwan’s AI Boom and Practice speaking English.

The Framework: Use O.R.E.O. to Talk About Economic Trends

When the topic is serious, many English learners freeze. You may know the ideas in Chinese, but still get stuck in English.

Use OREO.:

1. Opinion Tell me your main point of view.
2. Reason Explain why.
3. Example — Give a real case or number.
4. Opinion Please restate your point clearly.

This works especially well for Workplace English Conversation because it helps you sound organized, even when the topic is difficult.

Example

• Opinion: “I don't think Taiwan's slash economy should be celebrated.”
• Reason “In many cases, people take on extra jobs because one salary isn't enough.”
• Example: “For example, rent in Taipei can account for more than 40% of a young worker’s income.”
• Opinion: “So in my opinion, this is a structural problem, not just a lifestyle choice.”

Objective: Don't try to sound perfect. Try to sound clear.

If you're looking for another framework to express personal ideas, this lesson also pairs well with Why I Use Conversation Frameworks, Not Textbooks.

Guided Practice: 3 Prompts With Model Answers

Try these out loud. Keep your answer short first. Then add one reason and one example.

1. Do you think having a side hustle is a good thing?

Model Answer:

“I think it depends. Having a side hustle can give you extra security, but many people are doing it because their main salary is not enough. So I don’t see it as a positive trend by default.”

2. Why are so many young workers in Taiwan becoming slash workers?

Model Answer:

“I think the main reason is the gap between wages and living costs. Salaries haven't grown fast enough, but rent and housing prices have increased a lot. That pushes people to find multiple income streams.”

3. What problems come with moonlighting?

Model Answer:

“One problem is exhaustion. Another issue is legal and financial risk. Some companies have hidden non-compete clauses, and side hustle workers may not have labor insurance if they get hurt.”

Case Study: Mia and the Three-Income Reality

Let's look at Mia.

Mia is 28. She has an English degree. Her full-time job is social media editing. She earns NT$33,000 per month.

That sounds manageable until you look closer.

After 6 p.m., she does Uber Eats deliveries until 10 p.m. On weekends, she takes translation jobs. With three income streams combined, she earns about NT$52,000 per month.

Now subtract the basics:

• Rent: NT$13,500 for an 8-ping studio in Songshan
• Scooter gas
• Food
• Student loans

After all that, she's saved less than NT$1,000 to NT$4,000 a month.

This is why the slash economy matters. Mia isn't “maximizing her potential.” She's trying to stay afloat.

Here's how Mia might answer a question using O.R.E.O.:

• Opinion: “I think many young workers in Taiwan do not choose ”slash work" freely.”
• Reason “The cost of living is too high compared with entry-level salaries.”
• Example: “In my case, I have three sources of income, but I still save less than NT$$8,000 a month.”
• Opinion: “That’s why I think the real issue is structural, not personal.”

You can also talk about common side hustle types in simple English:

• Delivery work — Easy entry, flexible hours
• Freelance design or engineering — UI projects can pay between NT$1,415,000 and NT$3,000,000
• Online teaching — through platforms like Hahow or PressPlay
• Self-media — YouTube, Instagram, personal content channels
• Reselling or e-commerce — Proxy shopping, Shopee stores, product flipping

The Gray Zone: More Work, Less Protection

This is where the conversation gets more serious.

Taiwan's labor laws do not clearly ban moonlighting in general. But reality is messy.

Some problems include:

• Hidden non-compete clauses in company contracts
• No clear Workers' compensation for side hustle accidents
• Complicated tax reporting
• Long hours with very little recovery time

When people say “just get a side hustle,” they often overlook the risk.

A side hustle can be useful. But it is not a real safety net if the system around it is weak.

What to Practice Next

If this topic feels heavy, that's okay. Real English conversations are often heavy. Work stress is real. Money stress is real. Your job in English is not to fix the economy. It is to Explain it clearly..

Start here:

• Learn 1 framework
• Practice 3 opinion answers
• Reuse 5 to 10 key terms
• Speak in short, direct sentences.
• Add numbers when possible

That's how you build confidence step by step.

Key Vocabulary Glossary

Term	Meaning	Example Sentence	Chinese instructions
Slash generation	Multitaskers.	Many people in the slash generation cannot rely on a single income alone.	Refers to the "slash generation," not just having many interests, but simultaneously holding multiple jobs to make a living.
median wage	Median.	Taiwan’s median wage shows how limited many salaries still are.	It's the "median salary," which is a better indicator than the average of how much ordinary people actually earn.
price-to-income ratio	Housing affordability index.	Taipei's price-to-income ratio is extremely high.	Price-to-income ratio. The higher the number, the greater the pressure to buy a home.
Moonlighting	Side hustle.	Some employees worry that moonlighting could create problems with their company.	To take on a side hustle or multiple jobs after work. This term is often used in more formal work discussions.
gig economy	Gig economy.	Food delivery is a common part of the gig economy.	The gig economy. Short-term or flexible work, like food delivery and freelance gigs, are included.
safety net	Support that protects you from serious financial trouble.	A second income can feel like a safety net, but it is not always stable.	Safety net. It means having something to protect you in case of unemployment or unexpected circumstances.
structural	Related to a system, not just one person’s choices.	This is a systemic problem, not an individual failure.	Structural. It means the problem lies with the entire system, not that someone isn't working hard enough.
stagnant	Stagnant.	Many workers feel their wages have remained stagnant for years.	Stagnant. Commonly used to describe salaries that haven't grown much for a long time.
non-compete clause	Non-compete clause.	He checked his contract for a non-compete clause before freelancing.	Non-compete clause. You must read it before signing because it may restrict you from taking on side jobs.
hustle	Extra effort to make money or create opportunities.	Her weekend hustle helps cover her monthly expenses.	Here, hustle isn't a motivational slogan, it's more like doing extra work desperately to make money.
income stream	Passive income.	Mia has three income streams, but she still struggles to save.	Income streams. You can use this phrase to express "more than one source of money coming in."
burnout	Burnout.	Working every night can quickly lead to burnout.	Burnout, feeling overworked. You'd use this word when you've been working non-stop without rest.

If you want to practice this kind of real-world English in a supportive way, I can help. We can work on opinions, follow-up questions, and clearer answers for work and daily life. You can Book a one-on-one lesson at IMCEnglish.com. If you don't like it, you don't have to pay.