The citizens of China speak a wide variety of languages and dialects. There are seven major languages (Mandarin and Cantonese are the largest), plus countless dialects and local languages. Most use the standard Chinese alphabet, but match their own words with the appropriate calligraphic signs. Many regions of China have adapted standard Chinese into their own dialects. These dialects sound so different that you may want to study the one spoken in your region, in addition to the standard language. Some ethnic minorities also speak their own languages.

English is not an official language in China. You may have trouble finding fluent English speakers, especially away from major cities. Learning some Chinese will help make your visit more comfortable, and will also help you bond with people you meet. Below are some Chinese materials that are available through UNC-Chapel Hill Libraries.

 

Dictionaries
UNC-Chapel Hill's libraries have many foreign-language dictionaries. Some are for use only inside the libraries, but others are available for borrowing. Try one of the dictionaries below, or search the UNC-Chapel Hill Libraries Catalog for more options. If you'll be studying a specific discipline, try searching for dictionaries of specialized terms--for instance, law, information technology, business, and medicine.

Cantonese Dictionary: Cantonese-English, English-Cantonese. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1970.
Davis Library PL1736 .H8 1970

Jing Xuan Ying Han Han Ying Ci Dian/Concise English-Chinese, Chinese-English Dictionary. Hong Kong: Oxford University Press, 1999.
Information & Library Science Library Reference
PL1455 .C66 1999

Oxford Chinese Dictionary: English-Chinese, Chinese-English. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2003.
Includes explanatory texts in English.
Davis Library PL1455 .O87 2003

Books
The UNC-Chapel Hill Libraries system is the designated collector of Chinese materials among the Triangle's universities. Thus if you are ready to read books in Chinese, there are thousands available to you right here!

If you want to limit your catalog search to Chinese books, try doing an advanced search and selecting Chinese in the language box. You can add additional terms in the other boxes.

Courses at UNC
UNC-Chapel Hill offers courses in standard Mandarin Chinese. Visit the Department of Asian Studies' Web site for further information. You can also look through the UNC-Chapel Hill Registrar's course listings to find out when these courses will be offered next.

Audio Materials
The Media Resources Center's LinguaSearch can help you find language-learning materials in Cantonese and Chinese. Most materials are CDs with accompanying books.

Chinese Conversation Club
Students in Chinese courses can attend club meetings to practice the language in a social setting. Visit the Department of Asian Studies' Campus Organizations page for more information.

Find a Friend!
Speaking or corresponding with a friend is a great way to practice a new language. You can find friends to exchange emails with at Polyglot's language exchange program.