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You Say “Dofu”, I Say “Toufu”; The Global Rise of Mandarin

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“Better start learning Mandarin!”, was the phrase of the early 2000’s, as more and more people returned from trips to China with a deeper understanding of what that meant; get on board. The more people that, over the past 20 years, realised the idea of beating the Chinese is not an option, and joining them is the better choice, the more people have begun to study the one thing that will afford them that opportunity.

Nanjing boasts some 53 universities and colleges, with the large majority offering Chinese as a Second Language (CHSL) courses. Enrolment, whether it be short or long term, increases marginally each year. Not only are keen linguistics coming to China to learn Zhongwen, but more and more countries abroad are recognising the strong importance of the language as well.

Since 2014, a northern Portuguese town, Sao Joao da Madeira, has made it obligatory for all 8-9 year olds to learn Mandarin, in order to advance future opportunities in competing Chinese markets. Last year, English publication, The Sunday Times, featured an article, “Ni Hao! The School Where Half The Day Is In Mandarin”. It highlights the wishes of parents to “future proof” their children (at the prep-school), quoting a parent, “Chinese will be so important in their future… In the future, she will need Chinese in the global economy”.

So it came as no surprise that when CCTV recently released a list of the top searched Mandarin words on the Internet. The article revealed the emergence of a general worldwide understanding and recognition of Chinese.

Interesting to note is the appreciation of the pinyin version of the word, as a posed to the English translation; Mantou instead of Steamed Bun or Jiaozi instead of Dumpling. This shows is a greater understanding, awareness and interest in not only the language, but the culture as well.

Other words listed as the top most-recognised Mandarin Chinese words worldwide include:

  • Shaolin (少林); Shaolin Temple known for Kungfu
  • Yin Yang (阴阳); Chinese belief in balance
  • Yuan (元); money
  • Gugong (故宫); Forbidden City
  • Nihao (你好); hello
  • Wushu (武术); martial arts
  • Qi (气); energy
  • Qigong (气功); a form of Chinese martial art
  • Renminbi (人民币); Chinese currency
  • Majiang (麻将); Chinese board game
  • Gouqi 枸杞; wolfberry

Furthermore, Chinese political soft power and philosophy is proving influential with the occurence of searches esuch as Yi Dai Yi Lu (一带一路); Belt and Road Initiative, Shi San Wu (十三五); 13th Five Year Plan and Ming Yun Gong Tong Ti (命远共同体); Community of Human Destiny.

Quora contributor, Eddie Du commented, “As of 2014, there were over 480 Confucius Institutes. The Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban) aims to establish 1,000 Confucius Institutes by 2020”.

The ESL (English as a Second Language) industry has flourished over the past 40 years, and Chinese is a famously difficult language to master. Nevertheless, perhaps a shift in interest from ESL is indeed ushering in the rise in CHSL.

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