<p>Standard Cantonese speakers like myself sometimes call '广东话' as '白话', which literally means &quot;plain speech&quot;,  in contrast to all other regional dialects (方言) and local dialects (鄉下話) within Canton province.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantonese" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantonese</a></p>
<p><em>in Hong Kong and Macau, as well as among overseas Chinese communities, the language is referred to as &quot;Guangdong speech&quot; (广东话; 廣東話; Gwóngdūng wá)</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>&quot;Guangdong speech&quot; (广东话; 廣東話) is &quot;plain speech&quot;(白话) to us.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-22T10:08:01.050Z
thanks @tang-ho. Why plain speech though?
Andy K
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-22T10:13:04.230Z
"Plain speech" implies "everyone can understand".  In this case, Everyone in Canton province. There are many different dialects in Canton,  technically they are all "Cantonese",  but strictly speaking, they are  "Cantonese dialects "
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-22T10:14:06.350Z
many thanks for your detailed explanation @tang-ho
Andy K
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-22T10:05:08.530Z
2017-11-22T10:05:08.530Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Tang Ho
<p>I also want to add that written Cantonese is different to spoken Cantonese. Spoken Cantonese (less formal) is often referred to as「白話」。(white language).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-24T14:00:16.813Z
[Written Cantonese](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Written_Cantonese) is the attempt to match spoken Cantonese to writing. I think what you mean is [written Chinese](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Chinese).
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-25T14:25:43.970Z
Yes and no. Written Cantonese **is** *very similar* to Mandarin but also quite Cantonese, containing many words that the normal MSM speaker would not recognize.
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-25T18:41:27.673Z
Each dialect has their own local slang, even in mandarin. Ie. mandarin spoken in Mainland China would have different slang or terms used than in Malaysia, eg. The word for taxi, waiter/waitress etc.
what not
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-25T18:55:21.920Z
The same goes for written Cantonese. In Cantonese the word for dumpling is 水餃, or (less common) 餃子 - the 2 are interchangeable, with the former being most commonly used for all dumplings. In mandarin, 水餃 is only used to describe dumplings that have been boiled or come in a soup, otherwise it's 餃子. Also, for the phrase 'call a taxi': cantonese = 叫的士, mandarin = 打的
what not
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-25T19:05:20.200Z
This website explains a bit about the differences, including how written Cantonese contains over 5000 characters specific to Cantonese due to how the different dialects have developed over time https://www.tutormandarin.net/en/similarities-differences-cantonese-vs-mandarin/
what not
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-24T11:03:42.430Z
2018-03-24T11:03:42.430Z
what not
<p>Often when I interact with chinese folks coming from mainland China, they called cantonese "white language" (Ba Hua).</p>

<p>Maybe my understanding is incorrect.</p>

<p>Can anyone let me know if I'm mistaken and if not, why is it called <code>White language</code>? </p>

<cantonese>
Cantonese called white language by mainland chinese
# Cantonese called white language by mainland chinese

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-11-22)

Often when I interact with chinese folks coming from mainland China, they called cantonese "white language" (Ba Hua).

Maybe my understanding is incorrect.

Can anyone let me know if I'm mistaken and if not, why is it called `White language`?

**Tags:** cantonese


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-11-22. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

Standard Cantonese speakers like myself sometimes call '广东话' as '白话', which literally means "plain speech", in contrast to all other regional dialects (方言) and local dialects (鄉下話) within Canton province.

> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantonese>
>
> *in Hong Kong and Macau, as well as among overseas Chinese communities, the language is referred to as "Guangdong speech" (广东话; 廣東話; Gwóngdūng wá)*

"Guangdong speech" (广东话; 廣東話) is "plain speech"(白话) to us.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: thanks @username_1. Why plain speech though?  
> **username_1**: "Plain speech" implies "everyone can understand".  In this case, Everyone in Canton province. There are many different dialects in Canton,  technically they are all "Cantonese",  but strictly speaking, they are  "Cantonese dialects "  
> **username_0**: many thanks for your detailed explanation @username_1  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-03-24. Score: 2

I also want to add that written Cantonese is different to spoken Cantonese. Spoken Cantonese (less formal) is often referred to as「白話」。(white language).

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: [Written Cantonese](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Written_Cantonese) is the attempt to match spoken Cantonese to writing. I think username_2 you mean is [written Chinese](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Chinese).  
> **username_4**: Yes and no. Written Cantonese **is** *very similar* to Mandarin but also quite Cantonese, containing many words that the normal MSM speaker would not recognize.  
> **username_2**: Each dialect has their own local slang, even in mandarin. Ie. mandarin spoken in Mainland China would have different slang or terms used than in Malaysia, eg. The word for taxi, waiter/waitress etc.  
> **username_2**: The same goes for written Cantonese. In Cantonese the word for dumpling is 水餃, or (less common) 餃子 - the 2 are interchangeable, with the former being most commonly used for all dumplings. In mandarin, 水餃 is only used to describe dumplings that have been boiled or come in a soup, otherwise it's 餃子. Also, for the phrase 'call a taxi': cantonese = 叫的士, mandarin = 打的  
> **username_2**: This website explains a bit about the differences, including how written Cantonese contains over 5000 characters specific to Cantonese due to how the different dialects have developed over time https://www.tutormandarin.net/en/similarities-differences-cantonese-vs-mandarin/  

---

