WuKong Education Blog / Learning Tips / Chinese Learning / How Many People Speak Chinese? Reasons For Its Widespread

How Many People Speak Chinese? Reasons For Its Widespread

When reading about the Chinese language, it is good to have a deep dive into the ocean of information. It is good to learn how many people speak Chinese. With this type of information, you will be able to understand why you should learn this language. Moreover, it will also help you be confident in thinking if those people can learn and speak the Chinese language, you can also do this. In this blog, you will read how many people speak the Chinese language and why this language is being adopted widely in the world. We will also show you a brief introduction to those versions of the Chinese language that are spoken widely as compared to others.

Part 1. How Many People Speak Chinese?

According to research, 1.3 billion people speak the Chinese language for their communication and daily conversations. With this number of speakers, Chinese has got the label of the most spoken language in the world. English, undoubtedly, is considered an international language but it has 527 million speakers which is far behind the Chinese language. By having an idea about this, you must be aware of why people are searching for how many people speak Chinese. When compared to the total population of the world, it comes out to be 16% population that is speaking this language. Keep in mind that not all 1.3 billion people are speaking the same version of Chinese. There are multiple variants of this language that are spoken in different countries. In the following sections, we will also evaluate those versions that are spoken mostly among other variants of this language.

Part 2. Why Chinese Is Spoken Widely In The World?

When someone knows how many people speak Chinese, it is a frequent question that comes to mind. The reason is it is hard to believe that such a huge number of people are speaking this language. To have proof, it is good to extract a few reasons supporting this number and showing why this language is spoken widely. Here we have listed a few reasons that can help you learn more about this question.

Powerful Economic Player

If you have a keen interest in the economics of the world, you must be aware that China is considered a powerful player in this field. It is not wrong to say that a prominent proportion of products are manufactured and supplied by this country. Chinese is considered a nation that is sensitive to its culture and tradition. It is a good habit of these people that they try to speak their national language for their business dealings. They also like the people who use their native languages for communication instead of choosing others. That’s why Chinese is spoken by native and non-native speakers when it comes to business deals with this nation. It is right to say that this is the most prominent reason behind such a huge proportion of people speaking this language.

Native People Everywhere

Do you know how many Chinese people are living in the world? As per records, 1.4 billion native people live in China only while a huge proportion is living in other countries. It is common to find Chinese people in almost every country of the world except a few. As mentioned earlier, Chinese people speak in their native language instead of English or any other language. To communicate with them, you must be aware of the Chinese language. This reason also encourages people to learn this language and speak it even when they are living in their hometowns.

How many people speak Chinese?

Native Chinese Students in the USA

Captivating History & Culture

Undoubtedly, China has one of the most captivating and engaging cultures in the world. It has unique events like Chinese New Year that are celebrated in the world widely. Every history and culture lover loves to explore this culture and spend time with native people for a deep understanding of the language. That is why they need to learn the Chinese language and be a part of Chinese-speaking people. It is also another reason for increasing the overall proportion when it comes to learning how many people speak Chinese.

Part 3. Most Used Chinese Languages

As mentioned earlier, the Chinese language has multiple variants that are spoken in different parts of the world. Here we have listed those few versions that are spoken widely among other versions of this language.

Mandarin

It is considered a native and national version of the Chinese language that is spoken widely in the country. Most of the legal documentation, administrative statements, and government rules are written in this version of language. It is right to say that a prominent proportion of how many people speak Chinese use this version. As per reports, around 65% of the people in China use Mandarin as their routine language for communication, writing, reading, and learning.

How many people speak Chinese?

Mandarin Chinese Characters

Wu

Another common version of the Chinese language is Wu which is spoken by around 6% of the people in China. This language is normally spoken in Shanghai and the surroundings of this area. It has multiple features that are not available in any other language. Because of the involvement of multiple radicals, it is easier to learn this language as compared to other variants.

Jin

When it comes to the central part of China, Jin is the most spoken language with a population proportion of 5%. It originated from Mandarin which is the main reason why people feel comfortable learning this. In the beginning, it is considered to be a variant of Mandarin because of its origin. It is recognized as a different version of the Chinese language later and has been adopted by a prominent population of the country.

Part 4. Should You Learn Chinese Even If You Are Not A Native?

When you belong to a non-native culture, it is good to know whether you should learn this language or not. Undoubtedly, you can’t make this decision just by learning how many people speak Chinese in the world. You must have to clarify your activities to understand whether you must learn this language or not. First of all, if you belong to a multi-national company that deals with Chinese people, you should learn Chinese. It is because you will have a strong position among other teammates and may progress in your field. Secondly, if you are moving to China for business, job, or educational purposes, you must learn this language. It is because you will never be able to grow in this culture unless you are aware of this language. You will find most of the courses and documents written in the Chinese language. So, you should learn this language at any cost and make sure that you are good to move to this country to extend your business or educational career.

FAQs

Do More People Speak English Or Chinese?

Chinese is spoken by 1.3 billion people in the world surpassing English and Hindi to reach the top spot for most spoken languages in the world.

Is Chinese The Most Spoken Language In The World?

Yes, Chinese is the most spoken language in the world. This language is not only spoken in China or by the native people. A prominent proportion of non-native speakers are also speaking this language for various purposes.

Summary

By reading this blog about how many people speak Chinese, you must be aware of the fact that this language is spoken mostly in the world. For your understanding, we have also listed a few reasons why this language is spoken widely in the world as compared to English which is also considered an international language.

If you are interested in Chinese learning, come and have a free trial class from WuKong!