方言

fāng yán

HSK 2.0 Level 6 HSK 3.0 Level 6 Noun Uncommon

Definitions

1. the first Chinese dialect dictionary, edited by Yang Xiong 揚雄|扬雄[yáng xióng] in 1st century, containing over 9000 characters
2. topolect
3. dialect

1 item

standard language

standard language, contrasting with dialects

1 item

oral speech sounds (linguistics)

accent, distinct from dialect but related

1 item

vernacular

informal, often refers to local rural speech

方言 refers to regional language varieties, not just accents; it implies differences in vocabulary and grammar, not only pronunciation.

方言 is neutral; in formal contexts, 地方话 may sound more polite when avoiding potential stigma.

1 shown

他说的方言我听不懂。

I can't understand the dialect he speaks.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

subdialect

(linguistics) eye dialect

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words