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普通话
pǔ tōng huà
standard Chinese
普通话是中国的官方语言。
Standard Chinese is the official language of China.
formal
The standard form of spoken Chinese based on the Beijing dialect, used as the official language of China and a lingua franca across the country.
为了推广普通话，政府开展了多项活动。
The government has launched multiple initiatives to promote standard Chinese.
普通话 is also known as '现代标准汉语' (Modern Standard Mandarin) and is taught in schools across China. It is distinct from regional dialects like Cantonese or Shanghainese.
Pro Tip
Pronunciation Tip
Focus on the tones: 'pǔ' (3rd tone), 'tōng' (1st tone), 'huà' (4th tone). The word is pronounced with a rising-falling tone pattern.
Word Origin
The term '普通话' (pǔ tōng huà) combines '普通' (pǔ tōng, meaning 'common' or 'general') and '话' (huà, meaning 'speech' or 'language'). It was officially adopted in the early 20th century to unify spoken Chinese.
Usage Notes
普通话 is the primary language of instruction in schools, used in media, and required for official communications in China. It is also one of the official languages of the United Nations.
Word Breakdown
普
common, general
root通
throughout, universal
root话
speech, language
root汉英词典