Meaning of 华语
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- Chinese language
How to use 华语
华语 is a common name for Mandarin Chinese in Singapore, Malaysia and other overseas Chinese communities. It also appears in set terms like 华语电影 (Chinese-language films) and 华语音乐 (Chinese-language music). Example: 她在新加坡说华语。(Tā zài Xīnjiāpō shuō Huáyǔ.) She speaks Chinese in Singapore.
华 (huá) is the 华 in 中华 (Zhōnghuá), China, and in 华人 (huárén), ethnic Chinese people. 语 (yǔ) means language, as in 英语 (Yīngyǔ). So 华语 is the language of the Chinese people.
Common mistake: Learners often treat 华语 and 汉语 (Hànyǔ) as fully interchangeable. In mainland China, people usually say 汉语 or 中文 for the language, and 华语 can sound like it comes from outside the mainland. Also note that 华 is second tone, huá, not fourth tone huà.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
华 huá · flowery · 6 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
语 yǔ · words · 9 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
Related words
Words that share a character with 华语.
| 外语 | wàiyǔ | foreign language |
| 汉语 | Hànyǔ | Chinese language |
| 英语 | Yīngyǔ | English (language) |
| 语言 | yǔyán | language |
| 词语 | cíyǔ | word (general term including monosyllables through to short phrases); term (e.g. technical |
| 华人 | huárén | ethnic Chinese person or people |
| 中华民族 | Zhōnghuá Mínzú | the Chinese nation; the Chinese people (collective reference to all the ethnic groups in C |
| 语音 | yǔyīn | speech sounds; pronunciation |
| 语法 | yǔfǎ | grammar; (computing) syntax |
| 口语 | kǒuyǔ | colloquial speech; spoken language |
| 言语 | yányǔ | words; speech |
| 成语 | chéngyǔ | Chinese set expression, typically of 4 characters, often alluding to a story or historical |
Questions about 华语
What does 华语 mean?
华语 (Huáyǔ) means "Chinese language" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 华语?
华语 is made of 2 characters: 华 (6 strokes), 语 (9 strokes). That is 15 strokes in total.
Is 华语 an HSK word?
Yes. 华语 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 华语 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 华语 is written 華語.
What is the difference between 华语, 汉语, 中文 and 普通话?
汉语 (Hànyǔ) is the standard mainland term, often used in teaching, as in 汉语水平考试. 中文 (Zhōngwén) is the everyday word for Chinese, especially written Chinese. 普通话 (Pǔtōnghuà) is the mainland name for standard Mandarin. 华语 is the preferred term among overseas Chinese communities and in phrases like 华语电影.
Is 华语 used to describe people who speak Chinese?
Yes, it can appear in phrases like 华语地区 (Chinese-speaking regions) and 华语世界 (the Chinese-speaking world). For the people themselves, use 华人 (huárén), ethnic Chinese.