China–Hong Kong

Summary

Official Name: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China
Sovereignty Status: As a Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong has a significant amount of autonomy in all areas except defence and foreign affairs
Population: 7,482,000
Principal Languages: Mandarin Chinese
Literacy Rate: 94% (Roser and Ortiz-Ospina 2018)
Deaf Population: 155,200 with ‘hearing difficulty’, of whom 4,300 were ‘unable to hear at all’ (2014 HKSAR)
Language Counts: The number of established languages listed for China–Hong Kong is 7. All are living languages. Of these, 3 are indigenous and 4 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 3 are institutional, 1 is developing, 1 is vigorous, 1 is in trouble, and 1 is dying. Also listed are 5 unestablished languages.

Languages

Chinese, Hakka hak: New Territories. Users: 289,300 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 42,300 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). L2 users: 247,000 (2016 census). Status: 6b (Threatened). Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
Chinese, Mandarin cmn: Users: 3,421,000 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 131,000 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census), increasing. L2 users: 3,290,000 (2016 census). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national working language (1997, Basic Law, Article 9). Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
Chinese, Min Nan nan: Scattered. Users: 493,000 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 106,000 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). 70,500 Fukien and 35,200 Chiu Chau (2016 census). L2 users: 387,000 (2016 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Banlamgi Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
Chinese, Wu wuu: Users: 77,500 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 14,100 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). L2 users: 63,400 (2016 census). Status: Unestablished. Alternate Names: Shanghainese Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
Chinese, Yue yue: Widespread. Users: 6,662,000 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 6,260,000 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). L2 users: 402,000 (2016 census). Status: 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1997, Basic Law, Article 9). Alternate Names: Cantonese, Hong Kong Cantonese, Shatou, Shiqi, Wancheng Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
English eng: Widespread. Users: 3,750,000 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 300,000 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census), increasing. L2 users: 3,450,000 (2016 census). Status: 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial working language in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1997, Basic Law, Article 9). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
Hong Kong Sign Language hks: Scattered. Users: 8,000 in China–Hong Kong (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated based on 0.1% of total population. Another estimate: 3,900 (2014 Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, HKSAR). Total users in all countries: 8,200. Status: 6a (Vigorous). Alternate Names: HKSL, Heung Kong Sau Yue Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
Indonesian ind: Users: 190,100 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 21,100 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). L2 users: 169,000 (2016 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayo-Chamic, Malayic, Malay
Japanese jpn: Users: 127,050 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 7,050 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). L2 users: 120,000 (2016 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Japonic
Macanese mzs: Scattered. Status: 8b (Nearly extinct). Classification: Creole, Portuguese based
Tagalog tgl: Users: 190,200 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 28,200 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). L2 users: 162,000 (2016 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Greater Central Philippine, Central Philippine, Tagalog

Languages by Status

1 (National)

Chinese, Mandarin

[cmn] 1 (National). Statutory national working language (1997, Basic Law, Article 9). 3,421,000 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 131,000 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census), increasing. L2 users: 3,290,000 (2016 census).

2 (Provincial)

Chinese, Yue

[yue] 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1997, Basic Law, Article 9). 6,662,000 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 6,260,000 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). L2 users: 402,000 (2016 census).

English

[eng] 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial working language in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1997, Basic Law, Article 9). 3,750,000 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 300,000 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census), increasing. L2 users: 3,450,000 (2016 census).

5 (Dispersed)

Chinese, Min Nan

[nan] 5* (Dispersed). 493,000 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 106,000 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). 70,500 Fukien and 35,200 Chiu Chau (2016 census). L2 users: 387,000 (2016 census).

6a (Vigorous)

Hong Kong Sign Language

[hks] 6a (Vigorous). 8,000 in China–Hong Kong (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated based on 0.1% of total population. Another estimate: 3,900 (2014 Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, HKSAR). Total users in all countries: 8,200.

6b (Threatened)

Chinese, Hakka

[hak] 6b (Threatened). 289,300 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 42,300 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). L2 users: 247,000 (2016 census).

8b (Nearly extinct)

Macanese

[mzs] 8b (Nearly extinct).

Unestablished

Chinese, Wu

[wuu] Unestablished. 77,500 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 14,100 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). L2 users: 63,400 (2016 census).

Indonesian

[ind] Unestablished. 190,100 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 21,100 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). L2 users: 169,000 (2016 census).

Japanese

[jpn] Unestablished. 127,050 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 7,050 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). L2 users: 120,000 (2016 census).

Tagalog

[tgl] Unestablished. 190,200 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 28,200 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). L2 users: 162,000 (2016 census).

Maps

Graphs

Language Vitality Profile
Full explanation
This graph shows the profile of languages in China–Hong Kong with respect to their level of language vitality. Each individual language that has an entry for China–Hong Kong is included in the profile. The horizontal axis represents the estimated level of vitality. The height of each bar indicates the number of languages that are estimated to be at the given level.
The vitality levels and the color coding of the bars match the scheme used in the guide on How many languages are endangered? In this scheme, the levels and colors are as follows:
- Dark green = Institutional (EGIDS 0-4) — The language has been developed to the point that it is used and sustained by institutions beyond the home and community.
- Light green = Stable (EGIDS 5-6a) — The language is not being sustained by formal institutions, but It is still the norm in the home and community that all children learn and use the language.
- Red = Endangered (EGIDS 6b-9) — It is no longer the norm that children learn and use this language.
These three summary levels have been derived by grouping levels in the Expanded Graded Intergenerational Disruption Scale (EGIDS), which is the more fine-grained scale that Ethnologue uses to assess the status of every language in terms of development versus endangerment; see the Language Status page for a description of the levels of that scale. See also the pages on Development and Endangerment for more discussion.
Language Status Profile
Full explanation
This graph shows the profile of languages in China–Hong Kong with respect to their status of language development versus language endangerment. Each individual language that has an entry for China–Hong Kong is included in the profile. The horizontal axis represents the estimated level of development or endangerment as measured on the EGIDS scale. (See the pages on Development and Endangerment for a fuller explanation.) The height of each bar indicates the number of languages that are estimated to be at the given level. Consult the Status listings for China–Hong Kong in order to see the specific languages for each level.
The color coding of the bars matches the color scheme used in the summary profile graphs on the navigation maps for the site. In this scheme, the EGIDS levels are grouped as follows:
- Purple = Institutional (EGIDS 0-4) — The language has been developed to the point that it is used and sustained by institutions beyond the home and community.
- Blue = Developing (EGIDS 5) — The language is in vigorous use, with literature in a standardized form being used by some though this is not yet widespread or sustainable.
- Green = Vigorous (EGIDS 6a) — The language is unstandardized and in vigorous use among all generations.
- Yellow = In trouble (EGIDS 6b-7) — Intergenerational transmission is in the process of being broken, but the child-bearing generation can still use the language so it is possible that revitalization efforts could restore transmission of the language in the home.
- Red = Dying (EGIDS 8a-9) — The only fluent users (if any) are older than child-bearing age, so it is too late to restore natural intergenerational transmission through the home; a mechanism outside the home would need to be developed.
- Black = Extinct (EGIDS 10) — The language has fallen completely out of use and no one retains a sense of ethnic identity associated with the language.

Resources

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Digest of the languages of China–Hong Kong ($149.95, 23 page PDF)

China–Hong Kong

Summary

Languages

Languages by Status

Maps

Graphs

Language Vitality Profile

Language Status Profile

Resources

Contributions

Editorial Action