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Standard Chinese language facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Standard Chinese
普通話 / 普通话 Pǔtōnghuà
國語 / 国语 Guóyǔ
華語 / 华语 Huáyǔ
Native to China, Taiwan, Singapore
Native speakers (has begun acquiring native speakers, cited 1988)
L2 speakers: 7% of China (2014)
Language family
Sino-Tibetan
Early forms:
Middle Mandarin
  • Standard Chinese
Writing system Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Mainland Chinese Braille
Taiwanese Braille
Two-Cell Chinese Braille
Official status
Official language in China (as Putonghua)

Taiwan (as Guoyu)
Singapore (as Huayu)
United Nations
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

Wa State, Myanmar
Regulated by National Language Regulating Committee (China)
National Languages Committee (Taiwan)
Promote Mandarin Council (Singapore)
Chinese Language Standardisation Council (Malaysia)

Standard Mandarin or Standard Chinese is the official modern Chinese spoken language used in mainland China and Taiwan, and is one of the four official languages of Singapore. It is based off the Mandarin dialect and should not be confused with other varieties of Chinese.

Common phrases

English Chinese
(Traditional)
Chinese
(Simplified)
Pinyin
Hello 你好 你好 Nǐhǎo
What's your name? 你叫什麼名字? 你叫什么名字? Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?
My name is... 我叫... 我叫... Wǒ jiào...
How are you? 你好嗎?/ 你怎麼樣? 你好吗?/ 你怎么样? Nǐ hǎo ma? / Nǐ zěnmeyàng?
I am fine, and you? 我很好,你呢? 我很好,你呢? Wǒ hěn hǎo, nǐ ne?
I don't want it. 不要。 不要。 Bú yào.
Thank you 謝謝 谢谢 Xièxiè
Welcome! / You're welcome! 歡迎您!/ 不用謝! 欢迎您!/ 不用谢! Huānyíng nín! / bú yòng xiè!
Yes 是的 是的 Shì de
No
When? 什麼時候? 什么时候? Shénme shíhou?
How much (money)? 多少錢? 多少钱? Duōshǎo qián?
How long (distance)? 多長? 多长? Duō cháng?
Can you speak a little more slowly? 您能講得再慢些嗎? 您能讲得再慢些吗? Nín néng jiǎng de zài màn xiē ma?
Good morning! 早上好! (早安! in Taiwan) 早上好! Zǎoshang hǎo! (Zǎo an in Taiwan)
Goodbye! 再見! 再见! Zàijiàn!
How do you get to the airport? 去機場怎麼走? 去机场怎么走? Qù jīchǎng zěnme zǒu?
I want to fly to London on the eighteenth 我想18日坐飛機到倫敦 我想18日坐飞机到伦敦 Wǒ xiǎng shíbā rì zuò fēijī dào Lúndūn
How much will it cost to get to Munich? 到慕尼黑需要多少錢? 到慕尼黑需要多少钱? Dào Mùníhēi xūyào duōshǎo qián?
My Chinese isn't so good. 我的中文講得不太好. 我的中文讲得不太好. Wǒ de Zhōngwén jiǎng de bú tài hǎo.

Related pages

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Mandarín estándar para niños

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Standard Chinese language Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.