* Lack of Comprehensive Census Data: Chinese censuses typically focus on Mandarin proficiency, not specific dialects.
* Dialectal Variation: Wu itself is a large dialect group with significant internal variation. There are many sub-dialects within Wu, and some are more mutually intelligible than others.
* Language Shift: Mandarin has been the official language of China for decades, leading to a decline in the use of many dialects, including Wu. This makes it difficult to determine how many people are still fluent or native speakers.
Estimates:
* Around 70-80 million speakers are often cited, primarily in the Yangtze River Delta region.
* This would translate to roughly 5-6% of the total Chinese population.
However, these figures are rough estimates and should be taken with caution.
It's important to note that:
* Wu remains a vital part of Chinese culture in its region, even if its overall use is declining.
* The influence of Wu on Mandarin is significant, with many loanwords and linguistic features being absorbed into the standard language.
While a precise percentage is difficult to determine, Wu remains a crucial element of the linguistic diversity of China.