Beijing: China’s Capital, is the most popular destination for studying Mandarin Chinese. Standard Mandarin (the official language of China) is based on the Beijing dialect. It is a perfect environment to learn the language.
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Shanghai: China’s financial Center, is a cosmopolitan city with an excess of energy and glamour. Many people speak Shanghainese, a localized Wu dialect; however, in most situations people communicate in Mandarin.
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Xi’an: China’s historical centre, is home of the Terracotta Warriors and the start of the ancient Silk Road; Local people speak Mandarin, but with an accent typically found in northern China. It sounds similar to standard Mandarin and is like comparing Australian English to Canadian English.
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Hangzhou: Hangzhou has an abundance of tourist attractions. It is famous for natural beauty and its cultural heritage. In this Wu dialect area, Mandarin is very popular, although people have a slight southern accent.
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Qingdao: A touristy city, combining a rare mix of mountains, sea, and beautiful colonial architecture; This Mandarin area is a good language environment, and the local accent is close to standard Mandarin.
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Nanjing: Capital city for 10 emperors, and a bustling and energetic city with a rich culture. Nanjing’s Mandarin is influenced by other southern dialects, although people mainly have a northern Mandarin accent. It is like comparing British English to American English.
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Kunming: “The City of Eternal Spring”, is the perfect place to explore the countryside of southern China. In this Mandarin area, there is a southern accent. People speak good Mandarin, although local minority languages have influenced the local Kunming language due to migration.
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