普通话与方言 Mandarin and Dialects

在zài中国Zhōngguó，人们rénmen上学shàngxué、工作gōngzuò的de时候shíhou说shuō普通话pǔtōnghuà，可是kěshì一yì回huí家jiā，很多hěn duō人rén说shuō的de就jiù是shì方言fāngyán了le。

In China, people speak Mandarin at school and at work, but the moment they get home, what many of them speak is their dialect.

方言fāngyán就jiù是shì一yí个ge地方dìfang自己zìjǐ的de话huà，比如bǐrú上海话Shànghǎihuà、广东话Guǎngdōnghuà，它们tāmen和hé普通话pǔtōnghuà的de区别qūbié有时候yǒushíhou非常fēicháng大dà。

A dialect is a region's own way of speaking — Shanghainese or Cantonese, for example — and the difference from Mandarin can sometimes be huge.

我wǒ奶奶nǎinai只zhǐ会huì说shuō家乡jiāxiāng的de方言fāngyán，她tā一yì开口kāikǒu，我wǒ就jiù觉得juéde特别tèbié亲切qīnqiè。

My grandma can only speak our hometown dialect; the moment she opens her mouth, I feel a special warmth.

普通话pǔtōnghuà让ràng来自láizì不同bùtóng地方dìfang的de人rén能néng容易róngyì地de交流jiāoliú，这zhè当然dāngrán非常fēicháng重要zhòngyào。

Mandarin lets people from different places communicate easily, and that of course is very important.

但是dànshì现在xiànzài，很多hěn duō在zài城市chéngshì里li长大zhǎngdà的de孩子háizi，竟然jìngrán已经yǐjīng听不懂tīng bu dǒng爷爷yéye奶奶nǎinai的de方言fāngyán了le。

But nowadays, many children who grow up in cities surprisingly can no longer understand their grandparents' dialect.

有人yǒurén担心dānxīn，再zài过guò几十jǐshí年nián，一些yìxiē方言fāngyán可能kěnéng会huì慢慢mànmàn消失xiāoshī。

Some people worry that in a few more decades, certain dialects may slowly disappear.

其实qíshí，我们wǒmen不bù需要xūyào在zài普通话pǔtōnghuà和hé方言fāngyán中间zhōngjiān只zhǐ选xuǎn一yí个ge：普通话pǔtōnghuà帮bāng我们wǒmen走zǒu得de更gèng远yuǎn，方言fāngyán让ràng我们wǒmen记得jìde自己zìjǐ从cóng哪里nǎli来lái。

Actually, we don't have to choose between Mandarin and dialects: Mandarin helps us go farther, while dialects remind us where we come from.

如果rúguǒ你nǐ去qù中国Zhōngguó旅行lǚxíng，除了chúle普通话pǔtōnghuà以外yǐwài，再zài学xué几jǐ句jù当地dāngdì的de方言fāngyán，当地dāngdì人rén一定yídìng会huì对duì你nǐ特别tèbié热情rèqíng。

If you travel in China, learn a few phrases of the local dialect besides Mandarin — the locals are sure to be especially warm to you.

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

方言fāngyándialect

交流jiāoliúto communicate

消失xiāoshīto disappear

亲切qīnqièwarm and familiar

当地dāngdìlocal

区别qūbiédifference

Grammar note 语法点

一……就……

"As soon as A, then B" — B happens right after A: 她一开口，我就觉得特别亲切。

他一下课就回家了。 — He went home as soon as class ended.

竟然

"Surprisingly; unexpectedly" marks something contrary to what you would expect: 很多城市里长大的孩子竟然听不懂爷爷奶奶的方言了。

他学了三年汉语，竟然没去过中国。 — He has studied Chinese for three years, yet surprisingly has never been to China.

除了……以外，再/还……

"Besides A, also B" adds something on top of what is already there: 除了普通话以外，再学几句当地的方言。

除了米饭以外，我们还点了一个汤。 — Besides rice, we also ordered a soup.

Check yourself 小测验

1. According to the text, when do many people in China switch to their dialect?

2. How does the author feel when her grandma speaks their hometown dialect?

3. What does the author suggest travelers to China do?

普通话与方言Pǔtōnghuà yǔ fāngyánMandarin and Dialects

Key words 生词

Grammar note 语法点

Check yourself 小测验

More HSK 4 reading practice