<blockquote>
<p>it is a very political issue</p>
</blockquote>
<p>bien sûr lah </p>
<p>the democratic progressive party has a strong de-sinicization (去中化 ) tendency, here’re some inspiring observations:</p>
<p>the national academy for educational research 國家教育研究院, of taiwan  has a page:</p>
<p><a href="https://coct.naer.edu.tw/TBCL/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Taiwan Benchmarks for the Chinese Language (臺灣華語文能力基準)</a></p>
<p>that, chinese language —&gt; 華語文</p>
<p>another page <a href="https://www.naer.edu.tw/PageSyllabus?fid=52" rel="nofollow noreferrer">十二年國教課程綱要</a></p>
<p>read it carefully, one would find:</p>
<ul>
<li>語文領域-本土語文(閩東語文)</li>
<li>語文領域-臺灣手語</li>
<li>語文領域-新住民語文</li>
<li>語文領域-本土語文(原住民族語文)</li>
<li>語文領域-本土語文(客家語文)</li>
<li>語文領域-本土語文(閩南語文)</li>
<li>語文領域-英語文、第二外國語文</li>
<li>語文領域-國語文</li>
</ul>
<p>the last one “國語文” referred to mandarin (spoken language) &amp; han-chinese (written language)</p>
<p>or, this page <a href="https://www.naer.edu.tw/PageMenu?fid=44" rel="nofollow noreferrer">國語辭典</a></p>
<p>which stated “主要提供漢語、漢字研究者使用”</p>
<p>briefly: the term “中文” is <strong>not</strong> preferred in taiwan, under dpp  one better say “華語”, “國語”, “漢語” for spoken aspect of chinese language; then “華文”, “國文”, “漢字” for the written aspect of chinese language </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-27T10:51:29.343Z
Oh, it might be the 中 (中國) in 中文 that cause problem :'). As a foreigner, I feel weird to say 國語, and the term 華語... never used it before
Starckman
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-27T11:30:53.610Z
@Starckman, “ the 中 (中國) in 中文 that cause problem” **bingo**  you get it  it’ won’t be weird, when you read news, articles from hong kong, taiwan & south east asia daily  actually, it’s quite common, using “華” in lieu of “中”, “中國”
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-27T10:43:40.163Z
2024-02-27T10:43:40.163Z
水巷孑蠻
<p>中文 (The written and spoken Chinese language) and 華語 /漢語 (The spoken Chinese language) are neutral. All are used in Mainland China and Taiwan</p>
<p>The difference:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>中文口語 (Spoken Chinese language) is called  普通话 (the commonly spoken language) in Mainland China</p>
</li>
<li><p>中文口語 (Spoken Chinese language) is called 國語 (the National language) in Taiwan</p>
</li>
<li><p>Strictly speaking, 普通话 and 國語 should be called The spoken Mandarin language, which happens to be the current official language of the country, since 中文口語 includes all the Chinese dialects, for example, Cantonese is also a Chinese spoken language. Mandarin itself is also a Chinese dialect</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Both Mainland China and Taiwan call their written Chinese 中文</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-27T09:29:10.243Z
"中文口語 (Spoken Chinese language) is called 國語 (the National language) in Taiwan" I had the impression that 國語 to the Chinese learned in Taiwanese school system
Starckman
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-27T09:31:11.347Z
國語 is limited to "the spoken Chinese language". Both Mainland China and Taiwan call their written Chinese 中文"
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-27T09:26:16.663Z
2024-02-27T09:40:44.347Z
2024-02-27T09:40:44.347Z
Tang Ho
<p>The official spoken language in Taiwan is called &quot;國語(national language)&quot;, administered by the Ministry of Education. In school, the student studies &quot;中文/國文(Chinese literature), learns and reads &quot;中國字(Chinese characters)&quot;, and writes using &quot;中文繁體字(original/non-simplified Chinese characters).</p>
<p>At home, the most prevalent spoken language is &quot;閩南話/語&quot;, and the next is &quot;客家話&quot;, both are Chinese dialects and can be lumped into &quot;台灣話&quot;. The rest of the Chinese originals in Taiwan, who came after the Communists took over China, speak a variety of Chinese dialects (大陸地方話), which are often lumped together as &quot;外省話&quot;.</p>
<p>In general, Taiwanese refer to &quot;華語&quot; as the spoken language of Chinese nationals residing abroad (海外華人/僑胞, usually resided in SE Asia); and &quot;普通话&quot; as the current official spoken language of Chinese mainlanders. &quot;漢文&quot; is often referred to as the Chinese language/literature taught in Taiwan before the occupation of Taiwan by Japan, and is now reserved for academics and researchers who have interest in ancient Chinese cultures.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-27T18:10:46.300Z
2024-02-27T18:10:46.300Z
r13
<p>What is the word used by people in Taiwan to refer to &quot;the Chinese language&quot;?</p>
<p>The official language in Taiwan is standardized by the government of ROC (Republic of China, 1912 - present). The official language is called <strong>國語</strong> and the written form (or written language) is <strong>國文</strong>.</p>
<p>The English word for 國語 (The National Language) is <strong>Mandarin</strong> but that word has a much longer history than 國語. See <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandarin_Chinese" rel="nofollow noreferrer">wiki mandarin</a></p>
<p>(MANDARIN has nothing to do with 满清, 满州國, 满大人, whatsoever)</p>
<p>A language is primarily a historical and ethnic matter. The Chinese language would be more objectively called <strong>漢語</strong> or 汉语 (Han Languages) which is a group of languages or dialects. 國語 (<strong>普通话</strong>) is just a standardized (or normalized) dialect, no more, no less.</p>
<p>Is 中文 the most &quot;neutral&quot; term for the name of the Chinese language? Not really. It depends on what you mean by the word 中文.</p>
<p>(1) 中文 is an abbreviation of 中华语言文字 (中华, 华夏, 汉民族)</p>
<p>(2) 中文 is an abbreviation of 中国语言文字 (中, 中原, excluding 四夷，BC 1000)</p>
<p>(3) 中文 is an abbreviation of 中国语言文字 (中, 中国, 中华人民共和国 1949, PRC, not ROC)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-28T00:58:18.683Z
(Republic of China, 1912-2024) in your first sentence sounds like 2024 is the last year of the ROC. As far a I know, the ROC is alive and well and I hope she will live on for a long, long time.
monalisa
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-28T01:05:33.927Z
Many people think it was substituted by another one in 1949.
PdotWang
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-28T04:32:57.857Z
I understand that. But when you put 1912-2024, it means the ROC ends in 2024, which clearly is not going to happen. How about "Republic of China 1912-present" ?
monalisa
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-28T07:22:49.537Z
Thanks for the advice
PdotWang
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-27T17:14:37.417Z
2024-02-28T07:21:52.150Z
2024-02-28T07:21:52.150Z
PdotWang
<p>How is the Chinese language called in Taiwan?</p>
<p>I feel it is a very political issue.<br />
In my knowledge, there are the terms 華語, 國語, 普通話, even &quot;Chinese dialect&quot;.</p>
<p>In this context, what is the most common word used by Taiwanese people to refer to &quot;the Chinese language&quot;? (For instance in a politically neutral context where they would like to say: &quot;This foreigner speaks Chinese very well.&quot;)</p>
<p>In my impression, 中文 is the most &quot;neutral&quot; term.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-29T21:57:25.340Z
Which Chinese language are you thinking of, please?
Robbie Goodwin
<word>
How is the Chinese language called in Taiwan?
# How is the Chinese language called in Taiwan?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-02-27)

How is the Chinese language called in Taiwan?

I feel it is a very political issue.  
In my knowledge, there are the terms 華語, 國語, 普通話, even "Chinese dialect".

In this context, what is the most common word used by Taiwanese people to refer to "the Chinese language"? (For instance in a politically neutral context where they would like to say: "This foreigner speaks Chinese very well.")

In my impression, 中文 is the most "neutral" term.

**Tags:** word

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Which Chinese language are you thinking of, please?  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2024-02-27. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

> it is a very political issue

bien sûr lah

the democratic progressive party has a strong de-sinicization (去中化 ) tendency, here’re some inspiring observations:

the national academy for educational research 國家教育研究院, of taiwan has a page:

[Taiwan Benchmarks for the Chinese Language (臺灣華語文能力基準)](https://coct.naer.edu.tw/TBCL/)

that, chinese language —> 華語文

another page [十二年國教課程綱要](https://www.naer.edu.tw/PageSyllabus?fid=52)

read it carefully, one would find:

* 語文領域-本土語文(閩東語文)
* 語文領域-臺灣手語
* 語文領域-新住民語文
* 語文領域-本土語文(原住民族語文)
* 語文領域-本土語文(客家語文)
* 語文領域-本土語文(閩南語文)
* 語文領域-英語文、第二外國語文
* 語文領域-國語文

the last one “國語文” referred to mandarin (spoken language) & han-chinese (written language)

or, this page [國語辭典](https://www.naer.edu.tw/PageMenu?fid=44)

which stated “主要提供漢語、漢字研究者使用”

briefly: the term “中文” is **not** preferred in taiwan, under dpp one better say “華語”, “國語”, “漢語” for spoken aspect of chinese language; then “華文”, “國文”, “漢字” for the written aspect of chinese language

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Oh, it might be the 中 (中國) in 中文 that cause problem :'). As a foreigner, I feel weird to say 國語, and the term 華語... never used it before  
> **username_2**: @username_0, “ the 中 (中國) in 中文 that cause problem” **bingo**  you get it  it’ won’t be weird, when you read news, articles from hong kong, taiwan & south east asia daily  actually, it’s quite common, using “華” in lieu of “中”, “中國”  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2024-02-27. Score: 2

中文 (The written and spoken Chinese language) and 華語 /漢語 (The spoken Chinese language) are neutral. All are used in Mainland China and Taiwan

The difference:

* 中文口語 (Spoken Chinese language) is called 普通话 (the commonly spoken language) in Mainland China
* 中文口語 (Spoken Chinese language) is called 國語 (the National language) in Taiwan
* Strictly speaking, 普通话 and 國語 should be called The spoken Mandarin language, which happens to be the current official language of the country, since 中文口語 includes all the Chinese dialects, for example, Cantonese is also a Chinese spoken language. Mandarin itself is also a Chinese dialect

Both Mainland China and Taiwan call their written Chinese 中文

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: "中文口語 (Spoken Chinese language) is called 國語 (the National language) in Taiwan" I had the impression that 國語 to the Chinese learned in Taiwanese school system  
> **username_3**: 國語 is limited to "the spoken Chinese language". Both Mainland China and Taiwan call their written Chinese 中文"  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2024-02-27. Score: 1

The official spoken language in Taiwan is called "國語(national language)", administered by the Ministry of Education. In school, the student studies "中文/國文(Chinese literature), learns and reads "中國字(Chinese characters)", and writes using "中文繁體字(original/non-simplified Chinese characters).

At home, the most prevalent spoken language is "閩南話/語", and the next is "客家話", both are Chinese dialects and can be lumped into "台灣話". The rest of the Chinese originals in Taiwan, who came after the Communists took over China, speak a variety of Chinese dialects (大陸地方話), which are often lumped together as "外省話".

In general, Taiwanese refer to "華語" as the spoken language of Chinese nationals residing abroad (海外華人/僑胞, usually resided in SE Asia); and "普通话" as the current official spoken language of Chinese mainlanders. "漢文" is often referred to as the Chinese language/literature taught in Taiwan before the occupation of Taiwan by Japan, and is now reserved for academics and researchers who have interest in ancient Chinese cultures.


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2024-02-27. Score: 1

What is the word used by people in Taiwan to refer to "the Chinese language"?

The official language in Taiwan is standardized by the government of ROC (Republic of China, 1912 - present). The official language is called **國語** and the written form (or written language) is **國文**.

The English word for 國語 (The National Language) is **Mandarin** but that word has a much longer history than 國語. See [wiki mandarin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandarin_Chinese)

(MANDARIN has nothing to do with 满清, 满州國, 满大人, whatsoever)

A language is primarily a historical and ethnic matter. The Chinese language would be more objectively called **漢語** or 汉语 (Han Languages) which is a group of languages or dialects. 國語 (**普通话**) is just a standardized (or normalized) dialect, no more, no less.

Is 中文 the most "neutral" term for the name of the Chinese language? Not really. It depends on what you mean by the word 中文.

(1) 中文 is an abbreviation of 中华语言文字 (中华, 华夏, 汉民族)

(2) 中文 is an abbreviation of 中国语言文字 (中, 中原, excluding 四夷，BC 1000)

(3) 中文 is an abbreviation of 中国语言文字 (中, 中国, 中华人民共和国 1949, PRC, not ROC)

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: (Republic of China, 1912-2024) in your first sentence sounds like 2024 is the last year of the ROC. As far a I know, the ROC is alive and well and I hope she will live on for a long, long time.  
> **username_5**: Many people think it was substituted by another one in 1949.  
> **username_6**: I understand that. But when you put 1912-2024, it means the ROC ends in 2024, which clearly is not going to happen. How about "Republic of China 1912-present" ?  
> **username_5**: Thanks for the advice  

---

