Mandarin (language)

Mandarin is a major Chinese language and the most widely spoken language worldwide, with over a billion speakers. It is part of the Sino-Tibetan language family and primarily used in China, Taiwan, and among Chinese communities globally. Mandarin features four tones, which means that the pitch or intonation used when pronouncing a word can change its meaning. Its writing system uses characters called hanzi, which are logograms representing words or ideas rather than sounds. As the official language of China and one of the United Nations' official languages, Mandarin plays a crucial role in communication, culture, and diplomacy across the Chinese-speaking world.