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. Mandarin is spoken widely in Singapore and Taiwan.
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Can I speak Mandarin in Shanghai?
As a rule, people can speak Mandarin in Shanghai and every other city in China. Mandarin is the “lingua franca” of modern Chinese society.
Do you need to speak Mandarin to work in Shanghai?
Finding a Job in Shanghai
Nowadays, being able to speak English is not enough; you must also have some Chinese language skills as well as knowledge of the culture. More often than not, you must also be a specialist in your field.
What dialect of Chinese does Shanghai speak?
Shanghainese
Shanghainese (上海閒話 [z̥ɑ̃̀héɦɛ̀ɦʊ̀] in Shanghainese), or the Shanghai language (simplified Chinese: 上海话 or 沪语; traditional Chinese: 上海話 or 滬語), is a dialect of Wu Chinese spoken in the city of Shanghai and the surrounding region. It is classified as part of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages.
Does everyone in China understand Mandarin?
Of the 70% of the population who can speak Mandarin, many do not do it well enough, a ministry spokeswoman told Xinhua news agency on Thursday.Mandarin – formally called Putonghua in China, meaning “common tongue” – is one of the most widely-spoken languages in the world.
Which is easier Cantonese or Mandarin?
Mandarin is easier to learn
Cantonese is seen to be more difficult because it has from 6 to 9 tones, each of which signify different things (while Mandarin only has 4 tones). In addition, because of its greater prevalence, it is easier to find Mandarin study materials than Cantonese study materials.
Is English widely spoken in Shanghai?
It’s possible that Shanghai has the most English speakers of any big city in Mainland China. And Hong Kong, according to the EF English Proficiency Index 2018, ranked at Moderate Proficiency. In rural areas you’ll see and hear less English.
Can I get a job in China without knowing Chinese?
The real answer is a bit more nuanced, but the simple answer is: yes, you can undoubtedly work in China without speaking Chinese.Well, the fact is, most jobs for expats in China do not require you to speak Chinese.
Can you live in China without knowing Mandarin?
So yes, it is very possible to enjoy your working experience in China without speaking Mandarin. It would be actually harder for a foreigner with perfect Chinese but poor English to find a job. However, expats who are able to speak Chinese are living a totally different experience.
Can you get by in China without knowing Chinese?
Final Thoughts | Travel China with No Chinese
In short, you can rest assured that a trip to China does not require you to speak Chinese. It is possible to get around China sometimes using only English and most certainly using voice translation apps on your phone or Mandarin phrasebooks.
Should I learn Mandarin or Cantonese?
So it seems as though Mandarin is more practical than Cantonese. That’s not to say that learning Cantonese is a waste of time, and for some people, it may be the better choice, but for most people wanting to speak “Chinese”, Mandarin is the way to go.
Does Shanghai speak Cantonese?
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.Cantonese, however, is spoken largely in Hong Kong, as well as in Macau and the Guangdong province, including Guangzhou.
Which language is hardest to learn?
The Hardest Languages To Learn For English Speakers
- Mandarin Chinese. Interestingly, the hardest language to learn is also the most widely spoken native language in the world.
- Arabic.
- Polish.
- Russian.
- Turkish.
- Danish.
What is the hardest language to learn?
Mandarin
Mandarin
As mentioned before, Mandarin is unanimously considered the toughest language to master in the world! Spoken by over a billion people in the world, the language can be extremely difficult for people whose native languages use the Latin writing system.
What is the easiest language to learn?
And The Easiest Language To Learn Is…
- Norwegian. This may come as a surprise, but we have ranked Norwegian as the easiest language to learn for English speakers.
- Swedish.
- Spanish.
- Dutch.
- Portuguese.
- Indonesian.
- Italian.
- French.
How do you reply to Xie Xie?
不用谢 bú yòng xiè
As we know, you should answer “bu keqi 不客气” (you’re welcome) when someone said “xiè xie” to you. However, many Chinese answered “bu yong xie” instead. “bu yong xie” means “you don’t need to say thank you to me”.
Can you understand Cantonese if you speak Mandarin?
However, the two languages are distinct when spoken. Mandarin speakers typically cannot understand Cantonese speakers, and vice versa.
How do you say hello in Cantonese?
1. Non Time-Sensitive Hello in Cantonese. The universal greeting in Cantonese is 你好, which literally translates as “you good.” Both of the syllables should be pronounced using rising tones, with the second tone slightly higher than the first. If someone says 你好 to you, you can simply respond with 你好 as well.
Is it OK to wear red in China?
Wear Red for Luck
Red is a popular color in China because it is believed to symbolize good fortune. If you plan on going to any Chinese festivals during your time studying abroad in China, wear something red. Bright colors are also commonly worn at festivals or ceremonies in China.
Is Shanghai safe at night?
As with most big cities, avoid exploring at night alone. This is especially true if you plan on taking a taxi. Being a foreigner can make you a target of theft or other crimes and this is doubly true for women. If you do find yourself in a difficult situation, look for a uniformed police officer for help.
Is English taught in schools in China?
English has become a compulsory subject from Primary Three in China since 2003 and is gradually being introduced even earlier into the curriculum in many schools.However, although a compulsory subject, there are fewer English lessons than for Chinese and mathematics, the other core subjects.
