Guoyu

Guoyu (國語), literally “national language,” is the standard form of Mandarin Chinese used in the Republic of China (Taiwan). It functions as the official language of government, education, and mass media in Taiwan and is commonly distinguished from local languages such as Taiwanese Hokkien and Hakka. The term Guoyu is often used to refer to Mandarin as spoken in Taiwan, in contrast to Putonghua (普通话) used in Mainland China.

Historically, the idea of a common national language emerged in the early 20th century as a means of unifying diverse speech communities. In Taiwan, Guoyu became the standard medium of instruction and public life after the Republic of China government relocated to the island in 1949. Today, the label Guoyu remains widely used in Taiwan to denote Mandarin, even as other Chinese varieties continue to be spoken regionally.

Linguistically, Guoyu is based on Standard Mandarin in pronunciation and grammar but shows local influences in vocabulary, usage, and speech patterns. In writing, it uses Traditional Chinese characters, and education commonly employs Zhuyin fuhao (Bopomofo) to annotate pronunciation, though Hanyu Pinyin is increasingly used for romanization and digital input.

Guoyu coexists with other languages in Taiwan, such as Taiwanese Hokkien and Hakka, and is the subject of ongoing language policy and identity discussions. It is part of the broader Mandarin-speaking sphere while maintaining distinct regional characteristics relative to Mainland China’s Putonghua.