中文
zhōngwén
In Chinese, the term for the standard language of China is 中文 (zhōngwén). Wiktionary also lists 漢語 / 汉语 (hànyǔ).
Meaning: the standard language of China (name)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 中文 | zhōngwén |
| 漢語 / 汉语 | hànyǔ |
What does it mean word for word?
The term 中文 is composed of 中 (middle/central) and 文 (written language/culture/script).
Which one should you use?
中文 is often used to refer to the written language or the language as a cultural entity. In contrast, 汉语 specifically refers to the spoken language of the Han people and is the standard term used in academic or linguistic contexts. If you want to specify the standard dialect of mainland China (Mandarin) rather than the general concept of 'Chinese', use 普通话.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
zhōngwén
Did you know?
- While 中文 refers to the language, the character 中 is why China is called the 'Middle Kingdom' in English, reflecting an ancient belief that the civilization was the center of the world.
- In Taiwan, the standard language is called 國語, which means 'national language' instead of 普通话, reflecting different political histories.
- The term 汉语 uses the character 汉, which refers to the Han dynasty, the first empire to unify much of China.
Examples in context
- 我會說中文。I can speak Chinese.This sentence is useful for expressing the ability to speak 中文.Tatoeba #1476168 by egg0073, translation #1476163 by CN
- 他看得懂中文。He knows how to read Chinese.This sentence is useful for expressing the ability to read 中文.Tatoeba #1754355 by sadhen, translation #1751921 by Amastan
- 你会说中文吗?Do you speak Chinese?This sentence is useful for asking if someone speaks 中文.Tatoeba #2027964 by ydcok, translation #434626 by lukaszpp
- 你用中文怎么说"Chinese"？How do you say "Chinese" in Chinese?
- "Chinese" 的中文翻译是汉语 (hànyǔ) 或者中文 (zhōngwén)."Chinese" is translated as 汉语 (hànyǔ) or 中文 (zhōngwén).
- 我正学习中文.I'm studying Chinese.
- 125 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a bookstore, Xiaowen and Haoran are discussing language learning books.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你想学中文吗？Nǐ xiǎng xué Zhōngwén ma?Do you want to learn Chinese?
- 浩然 Haoran我想学，但是中文很难。Wǒ xiǎng xué, dànshì Zhōngwén hěn nán.I want to, but Chinese is very difficult.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen浩然，你可以慢慢来。Hàorán, nǐ kěyǐ mànman lái.Haoran, you can take it slow.
- 浩然 Haoran谢谢，我会努力的。Xièxiè, wǒ huì nǔlì de.Thanks, I will work hard.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chinese” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
