Here's a breakdown:
* Standard Mandarin: This is the official language of China, used in government, education, and media. It is based on the Beijing dialect.
* Other Mandarin Dialects: There are many other Mandarin dialects spoken throughout China, including:
* Northern Mandarin: (e.g., Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei)
* Southern Mandarin: (e.g., Nanjing, Shanghai, Jiangsu)
* Southwestern Mandarin: (e.g., Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou)
* Northwestern Mandarin: (e.g., Xi'an, Lanzhou, Gansu)
* Min Nan: Spoken in Fujian and Taiwan, it is considered a separate language by some linguists.
* Hakka: Spoken in Guangdong, Fujian, and Taiwan, it is considered a separate language by some linguists.
* Cantonese: While primarily associated with Hong Kong, Cantonese is also spoken in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces.
Therefore, while Mandarin Chinese is the dominant language among Han people, a diverse range of dialects and languages are spoken within this group.