方言 (fāng yán): dialect

In some small towns in the south, elderly people usually speak in dialect, and although young people can understand it, they are more used to speaking Mandarin.

My grandmother can only speak the dialect. Every time she talks on the phone with her grandson who lives elsewhere, she needs me to help translate into Mandarin.

He grew up in Sichuan, so he can speak authentic Sichuan dialect. Whenever he returns to his hometown, he always likes to chat with relatives in dialect.

With urban development, dialects in many places are gradually disappearing. Some schools have started teaching children to speak the local dialect in order to protect local culture.

When I first went to work in Guangzhou, I couldn't understand the Cantonese dialect. It was difficult even to buy groceries at the market. Later, I learned some everyday phrases from colleagues and gradually adapted.

Many dialects preserve the pronunciation and vocabulary of ancient Chinese. By studying dialects, linguists can understand the historical changes of the Chinese language.