List of varieties of Chinese

The following is a list of Sinitic languages and their dialects. For a traditional dialectological overview, see also varieties of Chinese.

Classification

"Chinese" is a blanket term covering many different varieties spoken across China. Mandarin Chinese is the most popular dialect, and is used as a lingua franca across China.
Linguists classify these varieties as the Sinitic branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. Within this broad classification, there are between seven and fourteen dialect groups, depending on the classification.
The conventionally accepted set of seven dialect groups first appeared in the second edition of the dialectology handbook edited by Yuan Jiahua.
In order of decreasing number of speakers, they are:

The revised classification of Li Rong, used in the Language Atlas of China added three further groups split from these:

Mandarin → Jin
Wu → Huizhou
Yue → Pinghua
Min
Hakka
Xiang
Gan
Summary

The number of speakers derived from statistics or estimates and were rounded:

Number	Branch	Native Speakers	Dialects
1	Mandarin	850,000,000	51
2	Wu	95,000,000	37
3	Yue	80,000,000	52
4	Jin	70,000,000	6
5	Min	60,000,000	61
6	Hakka	55,000,000	10
7	Xiang	50,000,000	25
8	Gan	30,000,000	9
9	Huizhou	7,000,000	13
10	Pinghua	3,000,000	2
Total	Chinese	1,300,000,000	266

List of languages and dialects

In addition to the varieties listed below, it is customary to speak informally of dialects of each province. These designations do not generally correspond to classifications used by linguists, but each nevertheless has characteristics of its own.

Gan

赣语/贛語

Image:Gan Dialects.png|thumb|right|upright=1.5|The main dialect areas of Gan in mainland China.

Mandarin

官话/官話

The number of speakers derived from statistics or estimates and were rounded:

Number	Branch	Native Speakers	Dialects
1	Beijing	35,000,000	7
2	Ji–Lu	110,000,000	4
3	Jianghuai	80,000,000	6
4	Jiao–Liao	35,000,000	4
5	Lan–Yin	10,000,000	3
6	Northeastern	100,000,000	4
7	Southwestern	280,000,000	11
8	Zhongyuan	200,000,000	11
Total	Mandarin	850,000,000	50

Hui

徽语/徽語

Sometimes subcategory of Wu.

Jin

晋语/晉語

Sometimes a subcategory of Mandarin.

Hakka

客家话/客家話
Min
闽语/閩語
Wu
吴语/吳語

Image:Wu Dialects.png|thumb|upright=1.5|The main dialect areas of Wu in mainland China.
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Xiang

湘语/湘語

File:Xiang.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|Language map of Hunan Province.
New Xiang is orange, Old Xiang yellow, and Chen-Xu Xiang red. Non-Xiang languages are Gan, Hakka, Xiangnan Tuhua, Waxianghua, and Southwestern Mandarin.

Yue

粤语/粵語

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Pinghua

平话/平話
Ba-Shu
巴蜀语/巴蜀語
Other

The non-Min dialects of Hainan were once considered Yue, but are now left unclassified:

Mixed languages

In addition to the varieties within the Sinitic branch of Sino-Tibetan, a number of mixed languages also exist that comprise elements of one or more Chinese varieties with other languages.

List in the ''Atlas''

The extensive 1987 Language Atlas of China groups Chinese local varieties into the following units:

Supergroup, of which there are but two: Mandarin and Min
Group, corresponding to the varieties of Chinese of the ISO standard
Subgroup, which may be mutually unintelligible with other subgroups
Cluster, which may be mutually unintelligible with other clusters
Local dialect, which are the dialects sampled by the Atlas

In the list below, local dialects are not listed. Groups are in bold, subgroups are numbered, and clusters are bulleted.
; Northeastern Mandarin

Jishen
* Jiaoning
* Tongxi
* Yanji
Hafu
* Zhaofu
* Changjin
Heisong
* Nenke
* Jiafu
* Zhanhua

; Jilu Mandarin

Baotang
* Laifu
* Dingba
* Tianjin
* Jizun
* Luanchang
* Fulong
Shiji
* Zhaoshen
* Xingheng
* Liaotai
Canghui
* Huangle
* Yangshou
* Juzhao
* Zhanghuan

; Beijing Mandarin

Jingshi
Huaicheng
Chaofeng
Shike

; Jiaoliao Mandarin

Qingzhou
Denglian
Gaihuan

; Central Plains Mandarin

Zhengcao
Cailu
Luoxu
Xinbeng
Fenhe
* Pingyang
* Jiangzhou
* Xiezhou
Guanzhong
Qinlong
Longzhong
Nanjiang

; Lanyin Mandarin

Jincheng
Yinwu
Hexi
Tami

; Southwestern Mandarin

Chengyu
Dianxi
*Yaoli
*Baolu
Qianbei
Kungui
Guanchi
*Minjiang
*Renfu
*Yamian
*Lichuan
Ebei
Wutian
Cenjiang
Qiannan
Xiangnan
Guiliu
Changhe

; Jianghuai Mandarin

Hongchao
Tairu
Huangxiao

;

Hubeihua
Henanhua
Nanping dialect
Yangyu dialect
Junhua
Longmen dialect

; Jin

Bingzhou
Lüliang
*Fenzhou
*Xingxi
Shangdang
Wutai
Dabao
Zhanghu
Hanxin
*Cizhang
*Huoji
Zhiyan

; Wu

Taihu
*Piling
*Suhujia
*Tiaoxi
*Hangzhou
*Linshao
*Yongjiang
Taizhou
Oujiang
Wuzhou
Chuqu
*Chuzhou
*Longqu
Xuanzhou
*Tongjin
*Taigao
*Shiling

; Hui

Jishe
Xiuyi
Qide
Yanzhou
Jingzhan

; Gan

Changjing
Yiliu
Jicha
Fuguang
Yingyi
Datong
Leizi
Dongsui
Huaiyue

;Xiang

Changyi
Loushao
Jixu

;Yue

Guangfu
Yongxun
Gaoyang
Siyi
Goulou
Wuhua
Qinlian

; Pinghua

Guibei
Guinan

; Hakka

Yuetai
* Jiaying
* Xinghua
* Xinhui
* Shaonan
Yuezhong
Huizhou
Yuebei
Tingzhou
Ninglong
Yugui
Tonggu

;Southern Min

Zaytonese
Hinghua
Beitou
Liong-na
Datian
Taoyuan
Teochew
Sanxiang
Luichow
Hainanese

; Eastern Min

Fuqing
Foochow
Kutien
Songkou
Ningde
Fu'an
Xiapu
Fuding
Taishun
Cangnan
Longtu
Nanlang

; Western Min

Jianzhou
Shaojiang
Yongan
Xinqiao

; Central Min

Youxi
Xibin
Zhongxian

; Unclassified topolects