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Chinese language

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Chinese language. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Indonesia

How language changes our perception of the Chinese zodiac

Researchers in Indonesia analysed proverbs in Mandarin and Bahasa Indonesia to compare and contrast how the Chinese zodiac differs in Mandarin vs Bahasa Indonesia.

8 May 2022 - 9:00AM

X (formerly Twitter)

Say what now? Marvel’s Moon Knight angers fans over bad Mandarin

15 Apr 2022 - 7:55AM

Art

Painter Kurt Chan reimagines the birth of Chinese characters

1 Apr 2022 - 1:15PM

Diplomacy

The remarkable life of Hu Shih helped shape China in the 20th century

A new book highlights Hu’s legacy, from his World War II-era diplomacy to championing literature for ordinary Chinese, his humility and charisma.

25 Dec 2021 - 11:00AMvideocam

In 1941 Hu Shih (centre) shows Franklin D. Roosevelt a document with more than 10,000 Chinese signatures to condemning Japan’s invasion of China. Photo: The Commercial Press

Cantonese

Review | Will Cantonese go the way of Welsh and Hawaiian languages?

Putonghua - the common tongue of northern Chinese - established a ‘dictatorship’ in China under Communist rule, writes James Griffiths, threatening Cantonese with the same fate as other suppressed languages.

4 Dec 2021 - 4:15PM

Apps

Chinese language-learning app LingoAce chalks up US$105 million in new funding

Singapore-based LingoAce may benefit from Beijing’s crackdown on off-campus tutoring providers, as potential Chinese competitors face regulatory hurdles to expand their operations.

3 Dec 2021 - 3:30PMvideocam

Taiwan

Alternatives emerge as learning Mandarin in China becomes unfeasible

The prospect of a foreigner moving to mainland China to study Mandarin is impossible, and other avenues have stepped up to fill the gap.

27 Nov 2021 - 6:00PMvideocam

Participants write Chinese characters on white boards at the final of a Chinese language dictation contest at a Vladivostok Confucious Institute in Russia. Photo: Getty Images

The View

The View | How to press home Hong Kong’s language advantage

Technology has changed the game, making it easier to acquire and improve language and communication skills. An international business hub like Hong Kong, where languages are critical for deal-making, must leverage technology to promote learning.

17 Nov 2021 - 9:15AMvideocam

Internet

Why does the internet love Chinese-speaking foreigners? Ask yum cha kor

Gurdip Singh, a marine technician from Singapore who urged his fans in flawless Cantonese not to work so hard and to drink some tea, has become the latest in a long line of viral sensations.

25 Jun 2021 - 6:04PM

Lessons from China's history

Reflections | How ‘fotuo’ became the Chinese word for the Buddha

Language in China, like all other languages, is never static and changes over time, which is why the Buddha is called ‘fotuo’ in Chinese.

22 Sep 2021 - 4:52PM

An image of the Buddha from the Song dynasty (1127-1279). Photo: Getty Images

Ethnic minorities in Hong Kong

Letters | Use Chinese to put all Hong Kong students on the same page

If the Education Bureau is serious about considering non-Chinese-speaking students’ needs, it should create a DSE Category A Chinese subject for second-language learners.

6 Apr 2021 - 6:15AM

Non-Chinese-speaking students learning at Hong Kong Taoist Association The Yuen Yuen Institute No. 3 Secondary School in Tseung Kwan O in 2015. Photo: Nora Tam

The Chinese internet

Meet Zhang Jing, the ‘interpreter goddess’ lighting up China’s social media

She went viral for her eloquent translation at the US-China summit in Alaska, winning praise for her language proficiency and beauty alike – netizens have even compared her to famous Chinese actress Zhao Wei

25 Mar 2021 - 4:24PM

Education

K-pop and Korean dramas drive global hunger for learning Korean

German, Italian and French courses have given way to a meteoric rise in the study of Asian languages, reflecting the global and cultural interests of 21st century students.

26 Feb 2021 - 12:30PM

China society

Say what? Chinese minority languages in danger of disappearing

According to Unesco research, 25 of China’s spoken languages and dialects are ‘critically endangered’, and around the world thousands have already have been lost over the past century.

14 Feb 2021 - 8:15PM

Ji Jinlu, 66, one of the last native Manchu speakers, who has lived in Sanjiazi village, Fuyu county, Heilongjiang, in northeast China all his life. He has hardly anyone to speak Manchu with as his children and grandchildren cannot speak the language. Some 25 languages spoken in China are considered critically endangered. Photo: SCMP

Video gaming

Simplified Chinese is now the most used language on Steam

Gamers in mainland China go to Valve’s popular online store to play uncensored games

16 Feb 2020 - 9:56PM

Steam is a popular platform for gamers in China. (Picture: Steam/Valve)