中国话 (Zhōng guó huà) — (spoken) Chinese; the Chinese language (especially oral)

Definition

Refers to Chinese as a spoken language, especially in contrast to written Chinese (中文). Use 中国话 when the topic is speaking or being understood orally.

noun
(spoken) Chinesethe Chinese language (especially oral)

Examples

  • 中国话。
    Wǒ cóng xiǎo jiù shuō Zhōng guó huà.
    I have spoken Chinese since I was little.
  • 中国话？
    Nǐ huì shuō Zhōng guó huà ma?
    Can you speak Chinese?
  • 中国话。
    Tā de Zhōng guó huà shuō dé zhēn liú lì.
    His Chinese is really fluent.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

中国China
中zhōngmiddle国guócountry
偏正Modifier + head
话huàspeech

中国 names China and 话 means speech or language, so it means the Chinese language.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The original picture showed a flagpole with a drum in the middle, set up in the center of a field.

Open 中 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 國; 国 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéiclosure
Sound part声符shēngfú
或
或huò國guó
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 國 uses 囗 to show closure and 或 to give the sound.

Open 国 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 話; 话 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánword
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠯑
𠯑𠯑話huà
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 話, 言 relates to words and 𠯑 gives the sound; the simplified 话 is a shorthand, so its right side is not that sound part.

Open 话 →

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