Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
Mandarin is the official language of China and the most widely spoken language in the world. It is based on the Beijing dialect and is used for communication among people from different regions in China.
Related terms
Cantonese: A Chinese dialect primarily spoken in southern China, including Hong Kong and Macau.
ๆน่จ (fฤngyรกn): This term refers to "dialects" or regional variations of a language, such as Mandarin and Cantonese.
Putonghua: Another name for Mandarin, which means "common speech" or "standard language."