Help needed from Chinese speakers | Golden Skate

Help needed from Chinese speakers

Joined
Jun 21, 2003
OK, I just found out that the word for Mandarin in Mandarin is Guanhua. Is this Guan the same as Michelle Kwan's name (Hong Kong version)? Could we say that the official language of China "Kwan-talk"? :)
 

ice coverage

avatar credit: @miyan5605
Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
OK, I just found out that the word for Mandarin in Mandarin is Guanhua. Is this Guan the same as Michelle Kwan's name (Hong Kong version)? Could we say that the official language of China "Kwan-talk"? :)

My Mandarin is extreeeeeeeeemely limited, but Mandarin in Mandarin is not Guanhua, as far as I know???? :confused2:

But I could be wrong. :think:
 

makaihime

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 20, 2014
^You're right, Guan*dong*hua means Cantonese. Mandarin is Potonghua (spelling?) :p

But you can still say that Hong Kong's official language is "Kwan-talk" hehe
 

cohkaix

FS data keeper
Medalist
Joined
Mar 9, 2013
Actually, we are talking about two different characters/words here: there are many homophones in Mandarin Chinese. The 'guan' in "Guanhua" does share the same pronunciation (also tone) with Michelle's last name in modern Chinese. But in writing, they correspond to different characters. The 'guan' in "Guanhua" means 'officer, staff', and "Guanhua" thus means "official language". On the other hand, Michelle's last name 'Kwan' (with standard Hanyu pinyin: guan) has several meanings, as seen in "guanxi" relationship, "guankou" customs barrier, and also as a common surname.
 
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