Hainanese language
Chinese dialect
Quick Summary
Hainanese is a language spoken on the island of Hainan in southern China. It is a variant of the Southern Min language (Minnan). While Mandarin and Cantonese are also spoken on the island, Hainanese serves as the lingua franca. The island of Hainan itself is China's southernmost province and is geographically separated from the mainland by the Hainan Strait. Historically, Hainan was a place of exile and a frontier region, with its own distinct cultural traditions, particularly among the indigenous Li people.12
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