北京の方言を参考に制定された「普通語」が標準語だが、他に粤方言（広東語）や呉方言（上海語）などの方言が話されている。

Reference Japan, China, Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Germany, and UAE Central　Intelligence Agency, "The World Factbook: LANGUAGES" Retrieved July 27, 2020, from https://bit.ly/2ErAba3 Taiwan National Statistics, Republic of China (Taiwan) "2010 Population and housing Census", "Table 6 Languages used at home for the resident nationals aged 6 years and over by sex and age" Retrieved July 27, 2020, from https://bit.ly/2X06mne Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, India, United States, United Kingdom United Nations Statistics Division "Demographic Statistics Database: Population by language, sex and urban/rural residence" Retrieved July 27, 2020, from https://bit.ly/3f7ChbQ