<P> Chinese , also known as Sinitic , is a branch of the Sino - Tibetan language family consisting of hundreds of local language varieties , many of which are not mutually intelligible . The differences are similar to those within the Romance languages , with variation particularly strong in the more rugged southeast . These varieties , often called `` dialects '' , have been classified into seven to ten groups , the largest being Mandarin ( e.g. Beijing dialect ) , Wu ( e.g. Shanghainese ) , Min ( e.g. Hokkien ) , and Yue ( e.g. Cantonese ) . </P>
<P> Chinese , also known as Sinitic , is a branch of the Sino - Tibetan language family consisting of hundreds of local language varieties , many of which are not mutually intelligible . The differences are similar to those within the Romance languages , with variation particularly strong in the more rugged southeast . These varieties , often called `` dialects '' , have been classified into seven to ten groups , the largest being Mandarin ( e.g. Beijing dialect ) , Wu ( e.g. Shanghainese ) , Min ( e.g. Hokkien ) , and Yue ( e.g. Cantonese ) . </P>
what is the most common dialect of chinese
what is the most common dialect of chinese
Mandarin
Mandarin