HAK ISO 639-3
Chinese, Hakka
客家話 (Hakkafa) Autonym
A language of China
- ISO 639
- hak
- Alternate Names
- Hokka, Ke, Kechia, Kejia, Kejiahua, Majiahua, Tu Guangdonghua, Xinminhua
- Autonym
- 客家話 (Hakkafa)
- Population
- 36,600,000 in China (2019). Total users in all countries: 44,065,190 (as L1: 43,817,190; as L2: 248,000).
- Location:
- Guangdong province: greatest concentrations east and northeast; Fujian, Guangxi, Hainan, Hunan, south Jiangxi, and Sichuan provinces: west and southwest. Widespread with other dialects.
- Language Status
- 5 (Developing). Language of recognized nationality: Han.
- Classification
- Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
- Dialects
- Yue-Tai (Meixian, Raoping, Taiwan Kejia), Yuezhong, Huizhou, Yuebei (Northern Guangdong), Tingzhou (Min-Ke), Ning-Long (Longnan), Yugui, Tong-Gui, Hai-Lu, Yuexi (Western Guangdong). Yue-Tai (Meixian) is standard dialect. Lexical similarity: with Gan Chinese [gan]. A member of macrolanguage Chinese [zho].
- Typology
- SVO; tonal.
- Language Use
- Used by all. Also use Mandarin Chinese [cmn]. Used as L2 by She [shx].
- Language Development
- Literacy rate in L2: 91% (2000 census, Han nationality). Highly literate in Chinese and they use that literature. Literature. Newspapers. Periodicals. Radio. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1916–2012.
- Language Resources
- OLAC resources in and about Chinese, Hakka
- Writing
- Han script, Traditional variant [Hant]. Latin script [Latn], used since early 19th century.
Also Spoken in
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Australia
Language Name
Chinese, Hakka
User Population
8,990 in Australia (2016 census).
- Location
- Major cities.
- Language Status
- 5 (Developing)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Brunei
Language Name
Chinese, Hakka
User Population
2,750 in Brunei (2019).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Canada
Language Name
Chinese, Hakka
User Population
10,900 in Canada (2016 census).
- Location
- Cayenne, Kourou, Macouria, Matoury, and Remire-Montjoly communes, especially in urban concentrations. Central coast.
- Language Status
- 5 (Developing)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of French Guiana
Language Name
Chinese, Hakka
User Population
14,700 in French Guiana (2019). , based on ethnicity.
- Location
- New Territories.
- Language Status
- 6b (Threatened) View other languages of China–Hong Kong
Language Name
Chinese, Hakka
User Population
289,300 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 42,300 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). L2 users: 247,000 (2016 census).
- Location
- Widespread. Provinces: Aceh, Bangka-Belitung, Java (5 provinces), Lampung, Maluku (Ambon island), Papua (Jayapura city), Riau Islands (Batam island), North and South Sulawesi, North and South Sumatra; West Kalimantan: Singkawang city; South Kalimantan: Banjarmasin city.
- Language Status
- 8a (Moribund)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Indonesia
Language Name
Chinese, Hakka
User Population
640,000 in Indonesia (1982).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Jamaica
Language Name
Chinese, Hakka
User Population
76,000 in Jamaica (2021 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity.
- Location
- Ratanakiri and Stung Treng provinces: border areas, 2 enclaves along Sesan river.
- Language Status
- 6a (Vigorous)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Cambodia
Language Name
Chinese, Hakka
User Population
500 in Cambodia (2011 SIL).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Mauritius
Language Name
Chinese, Hakka
User Population
4,100 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c).
- Location
- Negeri Sembilan, Perak, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor: scattered, especially in major towns.
- Dialects
- Loong Chun, Her Po.
- Language Status
- 5 (Developing)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Christian. View other languages of Malaysia
Language Name
Chinese, Hakka
User Population
1,810,000 in Malaysia (2021 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity.
- Location
- Panamá province: Salsipuedes, a suburb of Panama City.
- Language Status
- 6a (Vigorous)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Panama
Language Name
Chinese, Hakka
User Population
29,000 in Panama (2021 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity.
- Location
- Windward Islands.
- Language Status
- 7 (Shifting)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Buddhist, Christian, traditional religion. View other languages of French Polynesia
Language Name
Chinese, Hakka
User Population
1,100 in French Polynesia, all users. L1 users: 100 in French Polynesia (2015 census). L2 users: 1,000 (2015).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Réunion
Language Name
Chinese, Hakka
User Population
11,400 in Réunion (2017).
- Location
- Scattered.
- Language Status
- 6b (Threatened)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Singapore
Language Name
Chinese, Hakka
User Population
233,000 in Singapore (2010 census).
- Location
- Saramacca district: scattered.
- Language Status
- 8a (Moribund)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Suriname
Language Name
Chinese, Hakka
User Population
9,000 in Suriname (2018), decreasing. Ethnic population: 12,000 (1971). Includes Yue [yue].
- Location
- Chiang Mai province; Krung Thep province: Samphanthawong district; Nakhon Ratchasima and Udon Thani provinces: urban areas; Nan province: Mueang district and municipal districts.
- Language Status
- 5 (Developing)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Chinese, Hakka [hak] children in Nan province are literate in Thai [tha] also use Northern Thai [nod]. View other languages of Thailand
Language Name
Chinese, Hakka
User Population
79,000 in Thailand (Leclerc 2019a). , based on ethnicity.
- Location
- Hsinchu, Kaohsiung, Miaoli, Pingtung, and Taoyuan counties; New Taipei Municipality.
- Dialects
- Hailu (Hi-Lu, Hoilluk, Hoiluk), Sanhsien (Shi Xien, Shigen, Shixien).
- Language Status
- 5 (Developing)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Settled in Taiwan for 200 years. Sanhsien closely resembles Yuetai of Mainland China. Hailu closely resembles Yong-Ting or Yuqui of Mainland China. View other languages of China–Taiwan
Language Name
Chinese, Hakka
User Population
4,240,000 in China–Taiwan (2017 J. Leclerc).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of United States
Language Name
Chinese, Hakka
User Population
3,800 in United States (2015 census). United States Census figure for all Chinese varieties: 2,900,000 (2015).
- Location
- Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, and Thai Nguyen provinces.
- Language Status
- 6a (Vigorous)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Vietnam
Language Name
Chinese, Hakka
User Population
1,650 in Viet Nam (2019 census). , based on ethnicity.
Map
Location: Guangdong province: greatest concentrations east and northeast; Fujian, Guangxi, Hainan, Hunan, south Jiangxi, and Sichuan provinces: west and southwest. Widespread with other dialects.
Size and Vitality
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