What is the difference about Mandarin, Putonghua and huayu？

Thursday, January 12, 2023

With the district influence, people life way and many history elements, there are many difference in the Chinese pronunciations in China.

Beijing dialect, (new school) Putonghua, old school Mandarin, new school Mandarin (Taiwan Mandarin) and Southeast Asian huayu are different in pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary.

Chinese Mandarin vs putonghua

Taiwan Mandarin: compared with the vocabulary of Mandarin, the vocabulary of Taiwan Mandarin not only integrates some Minnan or Hakka words, but also retains more ancient words. Another feature of Taiwan Mandarin vocabulary is that some words used before 1949 continue to refer to a certain group of people.

Chinese standard language with accent

There are also differences between "standard accent (no accent)" and "non-standard accent (with accent)" within the three systems of Mandarin, Putonghua and Chinese. From this point of view, Chinese standard language constitutes a large category of "dialects" of Chinese.

There is no strict boundary between standard accent and non-standard accent. Take Putonghua as an example:

The strictest definition of "standard accent" is the pronunciation of CCTV news broadcast. According to this standard, most Chinese speakers in Chinese mainland, including many announcers, have accents in Putonghua. In fact, many people occasionally violate the "Chinese national language standard" in the pronunciation, accent and words of Putonghua, but it can still be regarded as standard Putonghua.

Mandarin, which is obviously influenced by dialects or other languages, is generally regarded as having an accent. For example, the tone system is too different from that of Putonghua, or there are too many words with inaccurate pronunciation.

Whether Putonghua, which is influenced to some extent by dialects or other languages but does not affect communication at all, is regarded as having an accent varies from person to person. For example, Putonghua with "Beijing flavor" and "northeast flavor" to a certain extent.

The situation of Mandarin is similar: Old School Mandarin and Taiwan Mandarin are regarded as standard, while curling like Beijing dialect will be regarded as affectation.

The situation in huayu is somewhat different. Huayu is the same meaning about hanyu, Modern Chinese can be divided into standard language and dialect. Chinese is the official language of China, one of the four official languages of Singapore and one of the six working languages of the United Nations. Chinese is mainly circulated in China and Chinese communities in Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Myanmar, Thailand, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other countries.

Sign up for a free trial now!

FAQ / Tips

Before starting any Chinese language course, the teacher will assess your Chinese language proficiency level through a placement test.This helps to determine your current level of understanding and ability in Chinese, and allows the teacher to tailor the course materials and teaching methods to your specific needs and goals. The placement test may include assessments of your reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills.Based on the results of the test, the teacher will be able to recommend an appropriate course of study for you.
As a first - time student, if you are not completely satisfied with our service, we offer a cancellation policy that allows you to cancel your subscription before the first month. In such cases, we only charge a one - month fee and refund the remaining balance to you as soon as possible.We strive to ensure that our customers are fully satisfied with our service and are committed to providing a hassle - free refund process.
We offer a referral program that rewards both you and your friend with free classes.To participate, simply refer a friend to our program and once they successfully enroll, both you and your friend will receive free classes.We appreciate your support and look forward to helping you and your friend achieve your language learning goals.
Our teaching methodology is centered around our students and their individual learning objectives.We provide personalized learning plans, innovative and flexible teaching materials and methods, and strive to make learning Chinese a joyful and enjoyable experience.Our approach is designed to engage students and foster a deep understanding of the Chinese language, culture, and customs. We believe that learning should be fun and meaningful, and we work hard to ensure that every student enjoys their Chinese language learning journey with us.
At Chinese Learning, protecting our customers' personal information is a top priority. We have implemented robust security measures to safeguard your data and prevent any unauthorized access or disclosure. For further information on our privacy practices, please refer to our Privacy Policy, which outlines our commitment to data protection and privacy.
Thank you for choosing Chinese Learning for your language learning needs.If you need to cancel or reschedule a lesson, please do so at least 4 hours ahead of time. To request a cancellation, please send an email to ivy.wang @chineselearning.com or service @chineselearning.com.We appreciate your cooperation and understanding, and we look forward to providing you with the best learning experience possible."