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What are the major regional varieties of Mandarin?
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Chinese languages
Oracle bone inscriptions from the village of Xiaotun, Henan province, China; Shang dynasty, 14th or 12th century bce.
Mandarin Chinese is generally categorized into four major regional subgroups:1
- Northern Mandarin: Centered on Beijing, this variant is spoken throughout northern China and the Northeast provinces. It is the most widespread form and serves as the basis for Modern Standard Chinese.12
- Northwestern Mandarin: This variety extends northward from the city of Baoji and is spoken across most of northwestern China.12
- Southwestern Mandarin: Centered on the area around Chongqing, this variant is spoken in the Sichuan Basin and adjoining parts of southwestern China.12
- Southern (Lower Yangtze) Mandarin: This variant is centered on Nanjing and is spoken in northern Jiangsu and parts of central and southern Anhui.12