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汉语
hànyǔ
Chinese language
她学习汉语已经五年了。
She has been learning Chinese for five years.
formal
The official language of China, also known as Mandarin or Standard Chinese.
汉语是世界上使用人数最多的语言。
Chinese is the most spoken language in the world.
他用汉语写了一封信。
He wrote a letter in Chinese.
汉语 refers to the standardized form of the Chinese language based on the Beijing dialect, used in mainland China, Taiwan, and Singapore.
Pro Tip
Distinguish 汉语 vs 中文
汉语 emphasizes the language's cultural and historical roots, while 中文 (literally 'Chinese writing') focuses on the written form. In practice, they are often used interchangeably in speech.
Word Origin
Composed of 汉 (Han Dynasty, referring to the Chinese people and culture) and 语 (language). The term emphasizes the cultural and historical lineage of the language.
Usage Notes
汉语 is the preferred term in mainland China, while 普通话 (Putonghua, 'common speech') is often used interchangeably. In Taiwan and Singapore, 中文 (Zhōngwén) is more commonly used.
Word Breakdown
汉
Han Dynasty; Chinese people or culture
root语
language
root汉英词典