Why do we need to understand Chinese characters？

2 min read

The Chinese language is an institution，rather than a tool，of society.With their unusual script，Chinese characters developed a unique culture.The acquaintance with Chinese characters will bring interest，pleasure and a lifelong reward.Learning the characters will help you open up a door through which you are able to appreciate the most enduring cultural achievements of China.

How much do you know about dialects in China？

China has seven major dialect groups.Each group subdivides into many dialects. The people of each province have a special dialect；the people of each city，each town，and each village have their own special dialect as well.In many countries，a person using a southern vernacular can understand a person with a northern dialect.

However，two people who speak Chinese even within the same dialect group do not necessarily completely understand each other.The general situation is that one can understand perfectly people speaking the same local dialect，but intelligibility decreases as the speakers come from more and more distant regions.

Mandarin，or putonghua，is referred to as the common spoken Chinese，and it is spoken mainly in Northeast and Southwest of China.This widespread spoken Chinese is based on the Beijing dialect.Putonghua is usually considered more formal and is required when speaking to a person who does not understand local dialect.

Over 90%of Chinese people speak Mandarin，but they may very likely also speak another dialect.The local dialect is generally considered more intimate and is used among close family members and friends and in everyday conversation within the local area.Chinese speakers will frequently code switch between putonghua and 1ocal dialects.Parents generally speak to their children in dialect，and the relationshipbetween a dialect and putonghua appears to be mostly stable.Most Chinese know that local dialects are of considerable social benefit，and when they permanently move to a new area，they will attempt to pick up the local dialect.Usually learning a new dialect is done informally through a process of immersion and recognizing sound shifts.