普通话
Mandarin (Standard Chinese)
pǔtōnghuà
What does 普通话 mean?
普通话 (pǔtōnghuà) is the official term for Standard Mandarin — literally 'common speech.' It refers to the standardized national language of mainland China, based on the Beijing pronunciation, northern dialects' grammar, and a vocabulary drawn from modern vernacular literature. Mainland China promoted 普通话 as the shared language so that speakers of different regional varieties (Cantonese, Shanghainese, Hokkien, etc.) could communicate.
Two distinctions matter for English speakers: first, 普通话 is what mainland speakers call the language; in Taiwan the same standard is called 国语 (guóyǔ), in Singapore and Malaysia it's 华语 (huáyǔ). Second, 普通话 specifically names the spoken standard — for the language as a whole (writing included), people more often say 中文 or 汉语. A common phrase abroad: 你会说普通话吗？('Can you speak Mandarin?').
Character breakdown
common; widespread; universal
to communicate; through; general
speech; spoken language
Memory hook: Common + communicating + speech = the common speech everyone can communicate in = Mandarin.
Example sentences
你会说普通话吗？
Nǐ huì shuō pǔtōnghuà ma?
Can you speak Mandarin?
spoken
他的普通话说得很好。
Tā de pǔtōnghuà shuō de hěn hǎo.
He speaks Mandarin very well.
neutral
在学校我们都说普通话。
Zài xuéxiào wǒmen dōu shuō pǔtōnghuà.
At school we all speak Mandarin.
neutral
我学了三年普通话。
Wǒ xué le sān nián pǔtōnghuà.
I've studied Mandarin for three years.
spoken
请说普通话，我听不懂广东话。
Qǐng shuō pǔtōnghuà, wǒ tīng bu dǒng Guǎngdōnghuà.
Please speak Mandarin — I don't understand Cantonese.
spoken
Common phrases with 普通话
Synonyms
国语 ('national language') is the Taiwanese term for the same standard. In mainland contexts use 普通话; in Taiwanese or older overseas Chinese contexts you'll hear 国语.
华语 ('Chinese language') is the Singapore/Malaysia/Southeast Asia term for the same standard. Same language, different name reflecting which Chinese community is speaking.
Don't confuse 普通话 with
汉语 means 'the language of the Han people' — covers Mandarin and all major Chinese varieties; the academic/textbook word for 'Chinese.' 普通话 is the standardized spoken variety specifically.
方言 means 'dialect / regional variety' — Cantonese, Shanghainese, Hokkien, etc. 普通话 is the national standard that contrasts with all 方言.