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Cantonese dialect

Taishanese

Also known as: Toisanese, Hoisan-wa

A divergent Yue Chinese variety from the Sze Yup region of Guangdong. Once the dominant variety in early Chinese-American communities, especially in San Francisco and New York.

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Frequently asked questions

What language is Taishanese?

Taishanese is a dialect of the Cantonese language.

Where is Taishanese spoken?

Taishanese is primarily spoken in China.

Which region is Taishanese associated with?

Taishanese is part of the East Asia region on DialectAtlas.

Is Taishanese known by other names?

Yes — Taishanese is also referred to as Toisanese, Hoisan-wa.

What are the other dialects of Cantonese?

Cantonese also includes Hong Kong Cantonese, Guangzhou Cantonese. Each variety has its own vocabulary, pronunciation, and cultural context.

Other Cantonese dialects

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Nearby dialects

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Hakka

410 km away

A Sinitic language spoken across pockets of southern China and Taiwan by the Hakka diaspora communities. Around 35 million speakers, with major communities in Guangdong, Fujian, and Taiwan.

Mien

482 km away

A cluster of Hmong-Mien languages spoken by the Yao peoples across southern China and adjacent Southeast Asia. Sister branch to Hmong, with around 800,000 speakers across the diaspora.

Min Nan (Hokkien)

596 km away

The largest Min Chinese variety, spoken in Fujian and Taiwan and across the Hokkien-speaking diaspora of Southeast Asia. The basis of Taiwanese Hokkien and a major contributor to Singaporean Hokkien.

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