What are some popular dialects of Chinese to learn?

There are many dialects of Chinese but some of the most popular to learn are: Shanghainese (Wu family) Taiwanese Hokkien (Min family) Cantonese (Yue family)

Chengdu is in southwest China and is the capital of Sichuan province .

What is the population of Chengdu?

About 21.5 million people live in Chengdu. The 2020 census counted 20,937,757 residents, and the permanent population reached about 21.47 million by the end of 2024, making it one of China's largest cities.

What are the 8 major Chinese languages?

The major groups of Chinese are usually listed as Mandarin, Wu, Yue (Cantonese), Min, Hakka, Xiang and Gan , with the eighth being Jin or Huizhou depending on the classification used. Shanghainese belongs to Wu, Taiwanese Hokkien to Min and Cantonese to Yue. The Chengdu dialect, or Sichuanese, is not a separate group. It is a variety of Southwestern Mandarin, which is why it is much easier to pick up once you already speak Standard Mandarin.

What is so special about Chengdu?

Chengdu is one of China's major and fastest developing cities, yet it is famous for a relaxed lifestyle. Locals spend hours in teahouses chatting, which in the local dialect is called 摆龙门阵, and they love hotpot and Sichuan food. The city's favourite word, 巴适 (great, comfortable, just right), sums up that easygoing attitude. Chengdu is also known worldwide as the home of the giant panda breeding and research base.