What is the difference between Chinese and Cantonese? - ProProfs Discuss
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What is the difference between Chinese and Cantonese?

What is the difference between Chinese and Cantonese?

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Asked by Marlon , Last updated: Dec 21, 2024

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5 Answers

G. Cole

G. Cole

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G. Cole
G. Cole, English Professor, PhD, Canterbury

Answered Dec 03, 2020

The most prevalent dialect of China is Mandarin. Cantonese is separate from mainland Chinese. Due to the burst of the added population in the area, Cantonese is the leading Chinese dialect applied within Chinese communities abroad. Both Cantonese and mainland Chinese are tonal tongues.

There are nine tones in Cantonese instead of only four in the central Chinese dialect or Mandarin. Cantonese speakers find their dialect to be fun and vibrant. It is more animated than any other Chinese dialect.

Cantonese also has a plethora of established expressions and approaches to say the same things, which must be understood to be fully functional with the dialect. They are unique languages, and Cantonese can be written as it is spoken. The majority of Cantonese-specific characters develop from existing Chinese characters.

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Steinn

Steinn

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Steinn , Corporate employee, Graz

Answered Nov 27, 2020

There are some people who may not be too familiar with the different Asian races. Some assume that Chinese and Cantonese are the same. Cantonese is considered to be one of the minor dialects that are being used in China, while Mandarin is the main language that is being used by the Chinese. Take note that aside from Cantonese, there are a lot of other dialects that are available. There are some people who believe that Chinese and Cantonese are highly similar, but if you would try to interchange them, the things that you will say may not make any sense. This means that someone who speaks Mandarin, the main language of the Chinese, will not understand any word of Cantonese and vice versa.
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Carice Snow

Carice Snow

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Carice Snow, Motivator, MA, California

Answered Aug 12, 2020

The primary language in mainland China is Mandarin, and It is the official tongue of the Republic of China. Cantonese contrasts in many ways from its mainland Chinese, and Cantonese is the language spoken in the Guangdong province.

Cantonese is the dominant Chinese language used within the Chinese populations abroad. Both Cantonese and mainland Chinese are tonal languages. However, there are up to nine tones in Cantonese, while there are only four in the central Chinese dialect of Mandarin. This variance is why Cantonese is so challenging to learn.

Cantonese speakers concur that it is more of a fun, vibrant language with room for humor. This energy is because it is more expressive than any other Chinese dialect. The mainland Chinese dialect of Mandarin is seen as too conservative, mainly used as an attribute in government and business.

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H. Barnes

H. Barnes

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H. Barnes
H. Barnes, Unemployed, Barnes, Atlanta

Answered Aug 04, 2020

It would really depend on what you are trying to compare to each other. If you are trying to compare Chinese and Cantonese food, then you have to remember that Cantonese food is a type of Chinese food. This is the type of Chinese food that is being prepared in the Guangdong Region that is located in China.

What makes this different from other types of Chinese food is the amount of seasoning that you can find. If you would check most of the available Chinese food, you will see that it will come with a lot of seasoning.

Cantonese food will come with milder seasoning that some people may like. Other people may think that the flavors are a bit muted as compared to the usual Chinese food.

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J. Alva

J. Alva

J. Alva
J. Alva

Answered Jul 31, 2020

Many may think the Chinese language is just one thing, but it is very complex and has many sub-languages apart from it. Cantonese is one of the dialects that the Chinese language has. Chinese is the main language that those in Chinese countries use, while Cantonese is the second most spoken one. Chinese is mainly spoken in the home of China. Cantonese is mainly used in regions like the Southern region of China, Macao, and Hong Kong. Between the two, Cantonese tends to be more expressive, while Chinese is used in formal settings. Chinese can also be called Mandarin, which is the same language.
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