Britannica Sources used in this answer

What language do local residents of Guangzhou traditionally speak?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

The local residents of Guangzhou traditionally speak the Cantonese language, also known as Yueyu. This language is distinctly different from Mandarin, which is spoken by most people in China.12

While Cantonese remains the traditional language of the local population, the city's linguistic landscape has evolved due to migration. Today, both Cantonese and Mandarin are popularly used in Guangzhou as a result of the increasing number of people moving to the city from other regions of the country.1