What Language Do They Speak in China?

TL;DR

• Mandarin Chinese (Putonghua) is the official language of China.
• China is home to over 100 languages, grouped into several major language families.
• The biggest regional groups are Mandarin, Cantonese, Shanghainese, Hokkien, Hakka, and Gan.
• Many people are bilingual, speaking Mandarin plus a local language.
• Ethnic minority regions also use Tibetan, Uyghur, Mongolian, Zhuang, and more.

What Language Do They Speak in China?

China’s official language is Mandarin Chinese, known locally as Putonghua. It is the national standard taught in schools, used in government, and spoken in business across the country. However, China is also one of the most linguistically diverse nations on Earth, home to dozens of regional languages and dialects that vary dramatically from city to city.

Mandarin unifies communication for national life, but the everyday languages spoken at home often include Cantonese, Shanghainese, Hokkien, Hakka, and other local varieties with deep cultural histories.

Mandarin Dialects (官话)

Jin (晋语)

Wu Chinese (吴语)

Min Chinese (闽语)

Cantonese / Yue (粤语)

Gan (赣语)

湘语（Xiang Chinese）

五岭土话（Wuling Vernaculars）

平话（Pinghua）

客家话（Hakka Chinese）

少数民族语言（Minority Languages）

藏语（Tibetan）

其他少数民族语言 （Other Minority Languages）

What Is the Official Language of China?

Mandarin (Putonghua) is the official and most widely spoken language in China.

Mandarin belongs to the Sino-Tibetan language family. It uses Han characters (汉字 / Hànzì) and is standardized based on the Beijing pronunciation.

If you want to understand why Mandarin and “Chinese” aren’t the same thing, you might enjoy our deeper explanation in
Mandarin vs Chinese Language: Key Differences Explained.

Mandarin is:

• the language of government and education
• required for broadcasting and national media
• the main language taught to children in schools

Even in southern China where Cantonese or Hokkien is strong, Mandarin is still used for official communication.

Why Do People Think “Chinese” Is One Language?

Because the writing system is shared, but the spoken languages can be mutually unintelligible.

Chinese “dialects” are better described as language groups. For example, a Mandarin speaker often cannot understand Cantonese, and a Shanghainese speaker may struggle with Hokkien.

This phenomenon is easier to understand once you explore the history of the script itself. Our article on
The Evolution of Chinese Characters from Oracle Bone to Modern Script
shows how writing unified the country even when speech did not.

But all groups share the same writing system, which creates the appearance of one language.

This is why linguistic scholars refer to Chinese as a language family.

How Many Languages Are Spoken in China?

China has more than 100 living languages across multiple language families.

The largest groups belong to:

• Sino-Tibetan (Mandarin, Cantonese, Hakka, Hokkien, Tibetan)
• Tai–Kadai (Zhuang, Bouyei)
• Turkic (Uyghur, Kazakh)
• Mongolic (Mongolian)
• Koreanic (Korean in Jilin/Heilongjiang)
• Tungusic (Manchu, Evenki)

China officially recognizes 56 ethnic groups, many with their own languages.

The Seven Major Chinese Language Groups (Quick Overview)

These are not accents — they are different spoken languages with unique sound systems and vocabulary.

If you want to understand how writing stays unified across these groups, check out
Difference Between Traditional and Simplified Chinese.

Do People in China Speak English?

English is widely taught but unevenly spoken.

• Major cities (Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen): high English proficiency
• Tourist areas: functional English
• Rural or older populations: limited proficiency

For language learners, knowing some Mandarin dramatically improves daily interactions.

Regional Breakdown: What People Speak Across China

Northern & Western China

• Mandarin dominates
• Local accents vary (Beijing, Northeastern, Sichuanese)
• Minority languages: Mongolian, Tibetan, Uyghur, Kazakh

Eastern China

• Mix of Mandarin and Wu languages
• Shanghai’s Shanghainese is widely spoken at home

Southern China

• Very linguistically diverse
• Strong presence of Cantonese, Hakka, Hokkien, and Teochew
• Mandarin is used for school and business

Ethnic Minority Regions

• Tibet: Tibetan
• Xinjiang: Uyghur
• Inner Mongolia: Mongolian
• Guangxi: Zhuang

Many residents are bilingual or trilingual.

Language Families Inside China

1. Sino-Tibetan

Includes Mandarin, Cantonese, Hakka, Gan, Xiang, Tibetan.

2. Turkic

Includes Uyghur, Kazakh, Kyrgyz in the Xinjiang region.

3. Mongolic

Spoken in Inner Mongolia.

4. Tai–Kadai

Includes Zhuang, one of the largest minority languages.

5. Koreanic and Tungusic

Spoken in small communities in the northeast.

This linguistic diversity reflects centuries of migration, trade, and cultural exchange.

Practical Tips for Travelers and Learners

If you’re traveling:

• Learn basic Mandarin phrases
• Use a translator app for menus and signs
• Expect regional languages in southern cities (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xiamen)

FAQ

Do all Chinese people speak Mandarin?

Most do, but many use a regional language at home.

Is Cantonese older than Mandarin?

Yes. Cantonese preserves older Chinese features absent in modern Mandarin.

What language should foreigners learn?

Mandarin is the most practical for travel, business, and national communication.

Is Mandarin the same as “Chinese”?

Mandarin is the standard form used nationwide, but “Chinese” refers to the entire language family.

Do people in southern China speak Mandarin?

Yes, but usually as a second language. Daily conversation often uses Cantonese, Hokkien, Shanghainese, or Teochew.

Do Chinese languages use the same writing system?

Most Han Chinese languages share the same characters, even when the spoken forms differ dramatically.

How many people speak Mandarin?

Over 1 billion people, making it the world’s most widely spoken native language.