Southern Min

Southern Min is a group of Sinitic varieties originating in southern Fujian, including Hokkien and Teochew, with communities across China and Southeast Asia.

Min Chinese: Min Chinese is a Sinitic branch whose varieties developed in southeastern China and are often not mutually intelligible with other Chinese varieties. Southern Min is one major branch within Min Chinese.
Tonal language: A tonal language uses pitch distinctions to differentiate lexical or grammatical meaning. Southern Min varieties use tone contrasts to distinguish words.
Fujian: Fujian is a coastal province of southeastern China, bordering the Taiwan Strait. Southern Min originated in the province's southern region.
Taiwanese Hokkien: Taiwanese Hokkien is the Hokkien variety widely spoken in Taiwan, with local vocabulary and pronunciation features. It is a prominent Southern Min variety in public life and media.
Mandarin Chinese: Mandarin Chinese is a Sinitic branch that includes the standard language of China and Taiwan. Its pronunciation and grammar differ sharply from Southern Min varieties.
Hokkien: Hokkien is a Southern Min variety originating in southern Fujian and spoken in communities across Southeast Asia. It is the best-known Southern Min variety beyond China.
Tone sandhi: Tone sandhi is the systematic change of a syllable's tone according to its phonological or grammatical environment. Southern Min tone often changes predictably across connected speech.
Chaoshan: Chaoshan is a cultural and linguistic region in eastern Guangdong centered on Chaozhou and Shantou. Its Teochew varieties are a major Southern Min tradition.
Singaporean Hokkien: Singaporean Hokkien is a local Hokkien variety shaped by multilingual contact in Singapore. It shows Southern Min use within a multilingual Southeast Asian setting.
Cantonese: Cantonese is a Yue Sinitic variety centered on Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau. It is a neighboring southern Sinitic branch, not a Southern Min variety.

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