putonghuan.
/ˌpuːtɒŋˈhwɑː/, /ˌpuːtʊŋˈhwɑː/, U.S. /ˌpuˌtɑŋˈ(h)wɑ/, /ˌpuˌtɔŋˈ(h)wɑ/ The standard spoken form of modern Chinese, based on the northern dialects (esp. that of Beijing). Cf. Kuo-yü n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > languages of the world > Sino-Tibetan > [noun] > Chinese > Mandarin > varieties of
Kuan Hua1814
wen li1887
mandarin Chinese1895
pai-hua1923
Kuo-yü1932
putonghua1950
wenyan1964
1950 J. De Francis Nationalism & Lang. Reform in China v. 94 He expressed his views..in the following statement: ‘..China now has a p'u-t'ung hua (common language) which can serve as a general standard.’
1968 P. Kratochvíl Chinese Lang. Today v. 164 This concept of the so-called pǔtōnghuà ‘Common Language’ is largely based on the latter stage of guóyǔ (the two terms guóyǔ and pǔtōnghuà are now almost synonymous).
1976 W. H. Canaway Willow-pattern War xv. 156 He spoke enough pu-t'ung hua, the Common Chinese, for Shao to give him instructions before we left.
1996 Economist 2 Mar. 67/3 Schoolchildren are taught to write a standard Chinese that is modelled upon Putonghua, the state-sponsored language of north China.
2005 Guardian (Nexis) 5 Nov. 14 Plays are put on in English, Cantonese and Putonghua, and there is a friendly bohemian-style cafe where Hong Kong's artsy set hangs out.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1950