Cantonese

Sino-Tibetan86 million totalChinese characters

RegionChina (Hong Kong/Guangdong)

FamilySino-Tibetan

Speakers86 million total

ScriptChinese characters

TypeLogographic

About Cantonese

The prestige variety of Yue Chinese, spoken in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau. The language of most Chinatowns worldwide. Has 6 to 9 tones depending on analysis, more than Mandarin. Preserves final consonants lost in Mandarin. Hong Kong cinema and Cantopop carried it around the globe.

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