Hokkien
Southern Min tongue
Hokkien is a variety of Chinese originating in southern Fujian province, spoken by millions across Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and diaspora communities worldwide.
It belongs to the Min Nan branch of Chinese languages and is not mutually intelligible with Mandarin.
Hokkien has significant presence in Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia, where it often serves as a lingua franca among ethnic Chinese: My grandmother only speaks Hokkien.
Also called Minnan or Fujian dialect.
Of that Asian nation
- MandarinHigh-ranking government official
- CantoneseSouthern Chinese dialect
- ShanghaineseShanghai's regional language
- TaiwaneseOf the island republic
Capital of Taiwan
- TaiwaneseOf the island republic
- native speakerOne who grew up speaking it
- mother tongueLanguage acquired from birth
- indigenousOriginating in a region
localization · media · television · pop music · revitalization · education policy
Southeast Asian city-state
- MalaysiaSoutheast Asian federation
- PenangMalaysian island state
- diasporaScattered population sharing origins
- hawkerRoving vocal merchant
shophouse · temple · overseas Chinese · creole · code-switching · Philippines · Indonesia
Regional language variety
- tonesDistinct sound qualities
- RomanizationImposing imperial culture
- vernacularEveryday regional speech
- spokenExpressed in words aloud
colloquial · classifier · loanwords · substrate · pronunciation · phonology · vocabulary
Family line of descent
- traditionsLong-established customs passed down
- customsTraditional practices or import taxes
- legacyWhat's passed down
- lineageDescent from progenitors
genealogy · clan · folklore · proverbs · festivals · opera · puppetry · temple festival
Of the shoreline
- emigrationLeaving homeland permanently
- ancestralOf one's forebears
- homelandOne's native land
- port cityUrban area with harbor
Chinese
Of that Asian nation
- MandarinHigh-ranking government official
- CantoneseSouthern Chinese dialect
- ShanghaineseShanghai's regional language
Taipei
Capital of Taiwan
- TaiwaneseOf the island republic
- native speakerOne who grew up speaking it
- mother tongueLanguage acquired from birth
indigenous · localization · media · television · pop music · revitalization · education policy
Singapore
Southeast Asian city-state
- MalaysiaSoutheast Asian federation
- PenangMalaysian island state
- diasporaScattered population sharing origins
hawker · shophouse · temple · overseas Chinese · creole · code-switching · Philippines · Indonesia
dialect
Regional language variety
- tonesDistinct sound qualities
- RomanizationImposing imperial culture
- vernacularEveryday regional speech
spoken · colloquial · classifier · loanwords · substrate · pronunciation · phonology · vocabulary
ancestry
Family line of descent
- traditionsLong-established customs passed down
- customsTraditional practices or import taxes
- legacyWhat's passed down
lineage · genealogy · clan · folklore · proverbs · festivals · opera · puppetry · temple festival · incense
coastal
Of the shoreline
- emigrationLeaving homeland permanently
- ancestralOf one's forebears
- homelandOne's native land
oyster omelette
Eggs cooked with shellfish
- fish ballMinced seafood shaped round