The following is a list of Sinitic languages and their dialects. For a traditional dialectological overview, see also varieties of Chinese.
Classification
"Chinese" is a blanket term covering many different varieties spoken across China. Mandarin Chinese is the most popular dialect, and is used as a lingua franca across China.
Linguists classify these varieties as the Sinitic branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. Within this broad classification, there are between seven and fourteen dialect groups, depending on the classification.
The conventionally accepted set of seven dialect groups first appeared in the second edition of the dialectology handbook edited by Yuan Jiahua (1961). In order of decreasing number of speakers, they are:
Mandarin (including Beijing and Nanjing variants) Wu (including the Shanghainese and Suzhounese variants) Yue (including the Cantonese and Taishanese variants) Min (including the Hokkien and Fuzhounese variants) Hakka (Kejia) Xiang (Hunanese) Gan (Jiangxinese)
The revised classification of Li Rong, used in the Language Atlas of China (1987) added three further groups split from these:
Mandarin → Jin Wu → Huizhou Yue → Pinghua Min Hakka (Kejia) Xiang Gan
Summary
The number of speakers derived from statistics or estimates (2019) and were rounded:
Number Branch Native Speakers Dialects1 Mandarin 850,000,000 512 Wu 95,000,000 373 Yue 80,000,000 52 4 Jin 70,000,000 65 Min 60,000,000 616 Hakka 55,000,000 107 Xiang 50,000,000 258 Gan 30,000,000 99 Huizhou 7,000,000 1310 Pinghua 3,000,000 2Total Chinese 1,300,000,000 266
List of languages and dialects
In addition to the varieties listed below, it is customary to speak informally of dialects of each province (such as Sichuan dialect and Hainan dialect). These designations do not generally correspond to classifications used by linguists, but each nevertheless has characteristics of its own.
Gan
Dongkou Gan Huaining Gan Fuzhou Gan Ji'an Gan Leiyang Gan Nanchang Gan Xianning Gan Yichun Gan Yingtan Gan
Mandarin
The number of speakers derived from statistics or estimates (2019) and were rounded:
Number Branch Native Speakers Dialects1 Beijing 35,000,000 72 Ji–Lu 110,000,000 43 Jianghuai 80,000,000 64 Jiao–Liao 35,000,000 45 Lan–Yin 10,000,000 36 Northeastern 100,000,000 47 Southwestern 280,000,000 118 Zhongyuan 200,000,000 11Total Mandarin 850,000,000 50
Beijing Mandarin • Beijing dialect • Standard Chinese Putonghua (PRC) Guoyu (ROC) Biaozhun Huayu (Singapore) Putonghua (PRC) Guoyu (ROC) Biaozhun Huayu (Singapore) • Philippine Mandarin • Malaysian Mandarin • Chengde dialect • Chifeng dialect • Hailar dialect Ji–Lu Mandarin • Baoding dialect • Jinan dialect • Shijiazhuang dialect • Tianjin dialect Jianghuai Mandarin • Hefei dialect • Hainan Junjiahua • Nanjing dialect • Nantong dialect • Xiaogan dialect • Yangzhou dialect Jiao–Liao Mandarin • Dalian dialect • Qingdao dialect • Weihai dialect • Yantai dialect Lan–Yin Mandarin • Lanzhou dialect • Xining dialect • Yinchuan dialect Northeastern Mandarin • Changchun dialect • Harbin dialect • Qiqihar dialect • Shenyang dialect Southwestern Mandarin • Changde dialect • Chengdu dialect • Chongqing dialect • Dali dialect • Guiyang dialect • Kunming dialect • Liuzhou dialect • Wuhan dialect • Xichang dialect • Yichang dialect • Hanzhong dialect Zhongyuan Mandarin • Dungan language • Gangou dialect (influenced by Monguor) • Kaifeng dialect • Luoyang dialect • Nanyang dialect • Qufu dialect • Tianshui dialect • Xi'an dialect • Xuzhou dialect • Yan'an dialect • Zhengzhou dialect Unclassified • Gyami language • Junjiahua • Yangyu dialect
Hui
Sometimes subcategory of Wu. Jixi Hui Shexian Hui Tunxi Hui Yixian Hui Xiuning Hui Wuyuan Hui Dexing Hui Fuliang Hui Jiande Hui Shouchang Hui Chun'an Hui Sui'an Hui Majin Hui
Jin
Sometimes a subcategory of Mandarin. • Baotou dialect • Datong dialect • Handan dialect • Hohhot dialect • Taiyuan dialect • Xinxiang dialect
Hakka
• Huizhou (Hakka) dialect • Meizhou dialect • Wuhua dialect • Xingning dialect • Pingyuan dialect • Jiaoling dialect • Dabu dialect • Fengshun dialect • Longyan dialect • Lufeng (Hakka) dialect
Min
Southern Min Quanzhang Min (Hokkien) • Amoy dialect • Quanzhou dialect • Zhangzhou dialect • Longhai dialect • Zhangpu dialect • Anxi dialect • Hui'an dialect • Tong'an dialect • Jinjiang dialect • Nan'an dialect • Yongchun dialect • Taiwanese (see regional variations) • Lan-nang dialect (Philippine Hokkien) • Singaporean Hokkien • Penang Hokkien • Muar Hokkien • Medan Hokkien • Burmese Hokkien Teochew Min (Teo-Swa, Chaoshan) • Teochew dialect (Chaozhou) • Shantou dialect (Swatow) • Jieyang dialect • Chaoyang dialect • Puning dialect • Huilai dialect • Bangkok Teochew Longyan Min Zhenan Min Datian Min (disputed: separate Min branch) Haklau Min Zhongshan Min (disputed:separate Min branch) • Longdu dialect • Nanlang dialect • Sanxiang dialect • Zhangjiabian dialect Leizhou Min (disputed: separate Min branch) • Haikang dialect • Zhanjiang dialect Qiong Wen (Hainanese) (disputed: separate Min branch) • Wenchang dialect • Haikou dialect Eastern Min • Fuzhou dialect • Fu'an dialect • Fuding dialect • Xiapu dialect • Shouning dialect • Zhouning dialect • Ningde dialect • Zherong dialect • Minhou dialect • Yongtai dialect • Minqing dialect • Changle dialect • Luoyuan dialect • Lianjiang dialect • Fuqing dialect • Pingtan dialect • Pingnan dialect • Gutian dialect Northern Min • Jian'ou dialect Shao–Jiang Min Central Min • Yong'an dialect • Sanming dialect • Sha dialect Pu–Xian Min • Putian dialect • Xianyou dialect
Wu
Taihu • Shanghai dialect • Suzhou dialect • Changzhou dialect • Wuxi dialect • Hangzhou dialect • Huzhou dialect • Jiaxing dialect • Shaoxing dialect • Ningbo dialect Taizhou • Taizhou dialect • Linhai dialect • Sanmen dialect • Tiantai dialect • Xianju dialect • Huangyan dialect • Jiaojiang dialect • Wenling dialect • Yuhuan dialect • Ninghai dialect Oujiang (Dong'ou) • Wenzhou dialect • Yueqing dialect • Rui'an dialect • Wencheng dialect Wuzhou • Jinhua dialect • Lanxi dialect • Pujiang dialect • Yiwu dialect • Dongyang dialect • Pan'an dialect • Yongkang dialect • Wuyi dialect • Jiande dialect Chuqu • Lishui dialect • Qingtian dialect • Quzhou dialect • Shangrao dialect Xuanzhou • Xuancheng dialect
Xiang
Chang–Yi Xiang (New Xiang) • Changsha dialect • Zhuzhou dialect • Xiangtan dialect • Ningxiang dialect • Yiyang dialect • Xiangyin dialect • Miluo dialect • Yueyang dialect Hengzhou Xiang (Hengzhou Xiang) • Hengyang dialect • Hengshan dialect • Hengdong dialect Lou–Shao Xiang (Old Xiang) • Loudi dialect • Shuangfeng dialect • Xinhua dialect • Xiangxiang dialect • Shaoyang dialect • Shaodong dialect • Wugang dialect • Qidong dialect • Qiyang dialect Chen–Xu Xiang (Chen-Xu Xiang) • Chenxi dialect • Xupu dialect • Luxi dialect Yongquan Xiang (Yong-Quan Xiang) • Yongzhou dialect • Quanzhouxian dialect
Yue
Yuehai Cantonese (Guangfu) • Hong Kong Cantonese • Malaysian Cantonese • Wuzhou dialect • Tanka dialect • Xiguan dialect Sanyi dialect (Samyap) • Nanhai dialect • Jiujiang Cantonese • Xiqiao dialect • Panyu dialect • Shunde dialect Zhongshan dialect • Shiqi dialect • Sanjiao dialect Guan-Bao dialect • Dongguan dialect • Bao'an dialect (Waitau dialect) Yong–Xun Yue (Jungcam) • Nanning dialect • Yongning dialect • Guiping dialect • Chongzuo dialect • Ningmin dialect • Hengxian dialect • Baise dialect Goulou Yue (Ngaulau) • Yulin dialect • Guangning dialect • Huaiji dialect • Fengkai dialect • Deqing dialect • Yunan dialect • Shanglin dialect • Binyang dialect • Tengxian dialect Luo–Guang Yue • Luoding dialect • Zhaoqing dialect • Sihui dialect • Yangshan dialect • Lianzhou dialect • Lianshan dialect • Qingyuan dialect Siyi Yue (Seiyap) • Taishan dialect • Xinhui dialect • Siqian dialect • Guzhen dialect • Enping dialect • Kaiping dialect Gao–Yang Yue • Gaozhou dialect • Yangjiang dialect Qin–Lian Yue (Jamlim) • Beihai dialect • Qinzhou dialect • Fangchenggang dialect • Lianzhou dialect • Lingshan dialect Wu–Hua Yue (Ngfaa) • Wuchuan dialect • Huazhou dialect
Pinghua
Guibei Pinghua (Northern Ping) • Tongdao Pinghua Guinan Pinghua (Southern Ping)
Ba-Shu
Ba-Shu Chinese Minjiang dialect (?)
Other The non-Min dialects of Hainan were once considered Yue, but are now left unclassified: Hainan "Yue" • Danzhou dialect • Mai dialect
Mixed languages In addition to the varieties within the Sinitic branch of Sino-Tibetan, a number of mixed languages also exist that comprise elements of one or more Chinese varieties with other languages.
Linghua A Mandarin Chinese and Miao mixed language Maojia A Qo-Xiong Miao and Chinese dialects mixed language Shaozhou Tuhua A group of distinctive Chinese dialects in South China, including Yuebei Tuhua and Xiangnan Tuhua. It incorporates several Chinese dialects, as well as Yao languages. Tangwang A Mandarin Chinese and Dongxiang mixed language Waxiang An independent Chinese language variety Wutun A Mandarin Chinese, Tibetan and Mongolian mixed language
List in the Atlas The extensive 1987 Language Atlas of China groups Chinese local varieties into the following units: Supergroup ( dàqū), of which there are but two: Mandarin and Min Group ( qū), corresponding to the varieties of Chinese of the ISO standard Subgroup ( piàn), which may be mutually unintelligible with other subgroups Cluster ( xiǎopiàn), which may be mutually unintelligible with other clusters Local dialect ( diǎn), which are the dialects sampled by the Atlas
In the list below,Kurpaska (2010), pp. 64–73. local dialects are not listed. Groups are in bold, subgroups are numbered, and clusters are bulleted.
Northeastern Mandarin Jishen Jiaoning Tongxi Yanji Hafu Zhaofu Changjin Heisong Nenke Jiafu Zhanhua Jilu Mandarin Baotang Laifu Dingba Tianjin Jizun Luanchang Fulong Shiji Zhaoshen Xingheng Liaotai Canghui Huangle Yangshou Juzhao Zhanghuan
Beijing Mandarin Jingshi Huaicheng Chaofeng Shike Jiaoliao Mandarin Qingzhou Denglian Gaihuan Central Plains Mandarin Zhengcao Cailu Luoxu Xinbeng Fenhe Pingyang Jiangzhou Xiezhou Guanzhong Qinlong Longzhong Nanjiang Lanyin Mandarin Jincheng Yinwu Hexi Tami
Southwestern Mandarin Chengyu Dianxi Yaoli Baolu Qianbei Kungui Guanchi Minjiang Renfu Yamian Lichuan Ebei Wutian Cenjiang Qiannan Xiangnan Guiliu Changhe Jianghuai Mandarin Hongchao Tairu Huangxiao (unclassified Mandarin) Hubeihua Henanhua Nanping dialect Yangyu dialect Junhua Longmen dialect
Jin Bingzhou Lüliang Fenzhou Xingxi Shangdang Wutai Dabao Zhanghu Hanxin Cizhang Huoji Zhiyan Wu Taihu Piling Suhujia Tiaoxi Hangzhou Linshao Yongjiang Taizhou Oujiang Wuzhou Chuqu Chuzhou Longqu Xuanzhou Tongjin Taigao Shiling
Hui Jishe Xiuyi Qide Yanzhou Jingzhan Gan Changjing Yiliu Jicha Fuguang