What is the difference between cantonese and chinese

Most Chinese communities in Australia, Europe, North America, and other parts of the world also use Cantonese as their primary language. But in recent years, the number of Mandarin-speaking Chinese people living abroad has rapidly increased as more Northern Chinese are Taiwanese immigrants playing a larger and more active role in the global culture and economics.

So, both of these languages are spoken in China and they share the same base alphabet. But what is the difference between Cantonese and Mandarin? Individuals who are fluent in either language are able to communicate with one another through the written word, as both languages share a common vocabulary, give or take a few words.

But it is the tone of colloquial Cantonese that makes it difficult for Mandarin speakers to understand. The pronunciation of shared words in Cantonese and Mandarin is totally different. Mandarin utilizes four tones, whereas Cantonese has at least six and sometimes as many as nine. And different tones have different meanings, even when used for the same word. Mandarin is the official state language of China and the most widely spoken Chinese dialect in the country. It is spoken in many of the largest cities in China, including Beijing and Shanghai.

This means that those who use traditional Chinese characters will be able to understand the simplified characters, but those accustomed to simple characters won't be able to read traditional Chinese.

In truth, such is the complexity of written Chinese that some office workers will use basic English to communicate by email, while most schools teaching Chinese focus on the verbal language rather than reading and writing. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance.

Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Share Flipboard Email. Rory Boland. Rory Boland is a guidebook author and travel writer who has lived and worked in Hong Kong and London. Updated April 14, Featured Video. Cite this Article Format. While, in essence, the same character-syllable base is used, the pronunciation varies… sometimes radically.

Someone who only speaks Mandarin will not generally be able to understand Cantonese, and vice versa. Another way of greeting someone in China is to ask whether they have eaten yet. You can see how someone who speaks Mandarin would not understand Cantonese, and vice versa! The characters used for Mandarin and Cantonese share the same roots in ancient Chinese , but Mandarin now uses simplified characters , which were set as the standard by the Chinese government in the s, while Cantonese speakers still tend to use traditional characters.

As the name implies, simplified characters are less complex, and have fewer character strokes than traditional characters. Those who read traditional characters are usually able to figure out simplified characters, but those who read simplified have a difficult time understanding traditional characters.

Taiwanese, i. You can tell there are a few similarities, but that it would also be difficult for a Mandarin speaker to understand Cantonese writing. With the spread of electronic communication, a form of written Cantonese was introduced to represent idiomatic sounds and words in Cantonese. The most common examples are nouns for family members. Can you see a big contradiction? In addition to the appellation of family members, Cantonese and Mandarin are very different in terms of verbs, adjectives, and other vocabularies.

The differences in vocabulary, even at the written level, make those accustomed to speaking Cantonese out of touch with Mandarin and vice versa. There are many differences in grammars between Cantonese and Mandarin, but the order of adverbs and double objects are particularly obvious:. In Mandarin, adverbs are usually placed before verbs, while in Cantonese, many adverbs can be placed after verbs. Another big difference is in their double objects.

Mandarin and Cantonese have their double objects in the opposite order. In Mandarin, the indirect object comes before the direct object, while in Cantonese, the direct object goes before the indirect object.

Both languages use different idioms and expressions , too, so that even if someone from Hong Kong was able to read a piece of simplified Chinese writing, they may not be able to understand what is actually being conveyed by the writer if idioms or colloquialisms were used and more so vice versa. Maybe you know someone who speaks Cantonese and wants to make a trip to the Cantonese heartland.

Here is our most-selected sample tour that takes in both Mandarin-speaking and Cantonese areas, not to mention a great range of Chinese cuisine. Our customizable 4-Day Hong Kong Family Tour makes it easier to discover this incredible city with kids.

China Highlights uses cookies to give you the best possible service. If you continue browsing, you agree to the use of cookies. More details can be found in our privacy policy. Home Chinese Culture Chinese Language. Read on to find out what you need to know about the differences before embarking on your trip to China… the seven main differences follow our general comparison What are Cantonese and Mandarin? Cantonese vs Mandarin: Which one is harder to learn? If I speak fluent Mandarin, is it easier to learn Cantonese?