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Do you need to know Cantonese to study in Hong Kong?
89.5\% of the population in Hong Kong speak Cantonese. Besides, Cantonese is spoken in large parts of Southern China, not only Hong Kong. That’s why many people will recommend you learn Cantonese if you plan to stay in Hong Kong for a long time. If you want to be more widely understood, you should learn Mandarin.
Can you study in Hong Kong without knowing Chinese?
10 Answers. If you include Hong Kong as part of China, the answer is Yes but limited to Hong Kong. English is an official language of Hong Kong. Universities in Hong Kong all use English as the media of teaching and the common language for research is English.
Can you understand Hong Kong if you don’t speak Cantonese?
Hong Kong people don’t learn Cantonese, just speak it. “If you have enough confidence to continue speaking in Cantonese, then they will too. You have to persevere.” While Hong Kong is a city where many speak English or Mandarin, Cantonese dominates the local language scene.
Can you live in Hong Kong without Cantonese?
So, if you had any worries that you NEED CHINESE to live and work in Hong Kong, you absolutely don’t but allow us to explore what you miss by not speaking or reading Chinese. Top tip* If you want to learn the language that would be most useful for living in Hong Kong, learn Cantonese.
How widely is English spoken in Hong Kong?
The proportion of the Hong Kong population who report using English (that is, all forms) as their “usual spoken language” increased from 2.8\% in 2006 to 4.3\% in 2016, while 51.1\%, 63.5\% and 65.6\% respectively, reported being able to speak, write and read the language.
Is Mandarin the new Cantonese in Hong Kong?
Currently about 70 percent of Hong Kong’s primary schools use Mandarin as the language of instruction and there have even been reports of videos being used in classrooms that demonize Cantonese and promote Mandarin. In large part this is because in Hong Kong Mandarin is slowly coming to be seen by some as a more useful language than Cantonese.
Is Cantonese really a Chinese dialect?
On its site detailing Hong Kong’s language policy, it stated that Cantonese was a “Chinese dialect that is not an official language”. It caused an outcry, as Hong Kong residents certainly believe theirs is a proper form of Chinese, and not just a dialect. The bureau was forced to apologise and delete the phrase.
Why is Cantonese so popular in Hong Kong?
Cantonese surged in popularity from the 1970s to the 1990s thanks to Hong Kong exporting its language and culture by way of Hong Kong martial arts films and cultural icons like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, but that time has passed. Since then mainland China’s economy has grown exponentially, making Mandarin much more important in Hong Kong.
Why is Mandarin the most spoken language in Hong Kong?
Since then mainland China’s economy has grown exponentially, making Mandarin much more important in Hong Kong. Now everywhere “Chinese” is used as an official language — China, Taiwan, Singapore, and the UN – that means Mandarin, making it the most spoken language in the world.