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CultureHSK 19 min read
Cantonese vs Mandarin: not an accent
Cantonese and Mandarin cannot understand each other in speech. Six tones versus four, Jyutping versus pinyin, 食 versus 吃. HSK does not measure Yue. Pick one in month one.
cantonese vs mandarinmandarin or cantoneselearn cantonese or mandarin
CultureHSK 111 min read
Chinese dialects: which one to study first
Chinese is not one accent. Mandarin, Cantonese, Wu, Min, Hakka, Xiang, and Gan often cannot understand each other in speech. HSK is Putonghua. Start Mandarin unless you can name family or a city.
chinese dialectsvarieties of chinesemandarin or cantonese
CultureHSK 19 min read
Shanghainese or Mandarin: what you need in Shanghai
Shanghainese is Wu, not a Beijing accent. In the office you hear Putonghua. At home, often 上海闲话. HSK does not measure Hu. Start Mandarin unless you have a Wu family.
shanghaineseshanghai dialectwu chinese
CultureHSK 211 min read
Why Chinese Trainer uses a red panda
The icon is not a dragon or a giant panda. It is a red panda: a different species, still Endangered, and the one I saw in Chengdu beside China’s 国宝.
red panda chinared panda vs giant pandawhy red panda