Teochew

Teochew refers to the Teochew people and their language, a Chinese ethnolinguistic group native to the Chaoshan region along the eastern coast of Guangdong province, centered on the cities of Chaozhou and Shantou. The Teochew people form part of the broader Min Nan branch of the Sinitic language family, and their language is commonly called Teochew or Chaoshan. Teochew (Chaoshan) is a distinct Southern Min variety; it is not mutually intelligible with Mandarin or Cantonese and has its own phonology and tonal system. Most speakers use Chinese characters to write, and some use romanization in educational materials.

Historically concentrated in the Chaoshan region, Teochew people have formed a widespread diaspora, especially in Southeast Asia and among Chinese communities in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as in Australia and the Americas. They retain distinctive cultural traditions, including Teochew opera, traditional music, and tea culture, alongside mainstream Chinese religious practices such as Buddhism, Taoism, and ancestor worship.

Teochew cuisine emphasizes fresh seafood, delicate flavors, and techniques such as braising and steaming; it has a strong regional identity within Guangdong cooking and is well known among overseas Chinese communities. The Chaoshan region also contributes a distinct local identity within Guangdong, with its own history, cuisine, and linguistic heritage that continues to influence and be influenced by its diaspora.