About the Chinese Language

Chinese is the world�s most popular language, spoken by more than one billion people in the People�s Republic of China (PRC), Taiwan, Hong Kong, and elsewhere in East Asia. In addition, significant Chinese-speaking populations live in urban centers around the world. San Francisco has the largest Chinese-speaking population outside of China.

Chinese actually consists of a large number of dialects, all of which share a written language but are mutually unintelligible when spoken. Because of this, some linguists consider them separate languages instead of dialects. Mandarin is the most widely-spoken form of Chinese and is the official language of the People�s Republic of China and Taiwan. Other important linguistic groups include Wu, Xiang, Cantonese, Min, Hakka, and Gan. Within each of these groups, many variations in spoken language occur and it is said that speakers from one area may not understand those who live only a few miles away. The majority of Chinese speakers in the United States speak Cantonese.

Chinese belongs to the Sino-Tibetan language family, which also includes Tibetan, Lolo-Burmese, and Karen. The Chinese language has influenced many of the other languages of East Asia. Written Chinese originated more than 4,000 years ago and remained relatively stable until the People�s Republic of China decided on a campaign to make it easier to read Chinese by simplifying the characters, which can have as many as 30 strokes. To date, the simplified Chinese characters have been adopted only in the PRC and Singapore, but Hong Kong may start to use them, following its 1997 reunification with the mainland. Another change initiated in the PRC is the widespread use of Pinyin, a system of romanization, representing the sounds of the Chinese language using the Latin alphabet.

HSK

Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK), also known as the Chinese Proficiency Test, is a standardized test to assess the Chinese language proficiency of non-native speakers. HSK is held regularly in China and other countries each year.

HSK is sponsored by the National Chinese Language Level Assessment Examination Board. It is the authenticated language level assessment test for Chinese Language administered by both National Chinese Language Level Assessment Committee Office and Beijing Language and Culture University Chinese Language Level Assessment Center.

Examination Levels: Basic, Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced. Students successfully passing the examination are awarded a Chinese Language Level Certificate issued by the National Chinese Language Level Assessment Examination Board.

The functions of HSK:

The only Chinese Language Level Assessment Certificate accredited by Chinese Universities and Specialties Graduate Schools to meet with their admittance requirements.
The certificate to affirm Level of Chinese Language attained or the proof to waive the requirement to participate in Chinese Course at the corresponding level.
The basis for employment for employees using Chinese Language.

HSK Test Centers

The National Standardized Chinese Proficiency Test at Pasadena City College
Chinese Language Program at University of Michigan
Canada HSK Locations
McGILL UNIVERSITY Centre for East Asian Research
University College of the Cariboo, BC, Canada
der Universit�t Z�rich
Universite De Geneve
Chinese Program Seattle University
Universitat Erlangen Nurnberg
Association francaise des Professeurs de Chinois
�ber Wikipedia
University of San Francisco
School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
Sinolingua.fr
HSK in Italy
Lunds Universitet
Hong Kong
Kennesaw University Georgia
Singapore
New York University

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