Chinese, Wu

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A language of China

ISO 639-3
wuu
Alternate Names
Ghou Nyu, Goetian, Jiāngdōng Huà, Jiangnan, Jiangsu-Zhejiang, Jiangzhe, Wu, Wu Gniu, Wuyue, Wúyuèyǔ
Autonym
Wu Nyu, 江南话‎ (Jiāngnánhuà), 江浙話‎ (Jiangsu-Zhejiang hua)
User Population

81,700,000 in China (2018). Total users in all countries: 81,817,790 (as L1: 81,754,390; as L2: 63,400).

Location

Anhui province; Fujian province: Pucheng; Jiangsu province: Chongming Island, Haimen, Qidong, and Qingjiang at mouth of and north of the Changjiang in Nantong area; Jiangxi province: Shangrao area; Shanghai municipality; Zhejiang province.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing). Language of recognized nationality: Han.

Classification
Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
Dialects

Jin-Qu, Taizhou, Oujiang (Wenzhou, Wenzhounese), Wuzhou, Chuqu, Xuanzhou, Taihu (Hangzhou, Shanghai, Shanghainese), Shang-Li. Varieties of Taihu dialect are Piling, Su-Hu-Jia, Tiaoxi, Hangzhou, Lin-Shao, and Yongjiang; Chuqu subdialects are Chuzhou and Longqu; Xuanzhou varieties are Tongjing, Taigao, and Shiling. A member of macrolanguage Chinese [zho].

Typology

SVO; tone sandhi, tonal.

Language Use

Used by all. Also use Mandarin Chinese [cmn].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 91% (2000 census, Han nationality). Fully developed. Bible: 1908–1914.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Chinese, Wu
Writing

Han script, Simplified variant [Hans], used since 1981. Han script, Traditional variant [Hant]. Latin script [Latn], used since mid/late 19th century.

Also spoken in:

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