汉语 (Hànyǔ) — Chinese language (spoken)
HSK 1 | noun | Chinese language, Mandarin Chinese
汉语 (Hànyǔ)
The Chinese language, specifically referring to the spoken form of Mandarin Chinese. 汉 refers to the Han people (the dominant ethnic group of China), and 语 means "language" or "speech." Compare with 中文 (zhōngwén), which more often refers to written Chinese.
Meanings
- [noun] Chinese language. The spoken form of Mandarin Chinese, the official language of China.
Example Sentences
我在学汉语。 Wǒ zài xué Hànyǔ. I am studying Chinese.
他的汉语说得很好。 Tā de Hànyǔ shuō de hěn hǎo. His spoken Chinese is very good.
汉语不太难。 Hànyǔ bù tài nán. Chinese is not too difficult.
你会说汉语吗？ Nǐ huì shuō Hànyǔ ma? Can you speak Chinese?
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 学汉语 | study Chinese |
| 说汉语 | speak Chinese |
| 汉语水平 | Chinese proficiency level |
| 汉语课 | Chinese class |
| 汉语老师 | Chinese teacher |
Memory Hook
汉 refers to the Han people, and 语 means "language." 汉语 is literally the language of the Han people. The HSK exam name itself stands for 汉语水平考试 (Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì), "Chinese Proficiency Test," so you are already using this word every time you study for HSK.