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Description
Have you ever heard of UN Chinese Language Day – April 20? If not, buckle up, because you’re about to discover a celebration that honors one of the oldest, richest, and most spoken languages in the world—Chinese! Whether you’re a language lover, a culture explorer, or just someone who enjoys international holidays (hello, extra reason to celebrate!), this day is for you.
History
According to legend, Cangjie, a court historian of the Yellow Emperor around 2650 BCE, invented Chinese characters after observing animal tracks and nature. While mythical, this story symbolizes the deep cultural respect for Chinese hanzi. Historically, the earliest known Chinese writing appeared during the Shang Dynasty (1600–1046 BCE) on oracle bones, used for divination.
After the fall of the Qing Dynasty, The Chinese Nationalist Party was founded in 1911. To unify the country, they promoted a standard language.
In 1932, Mandarin (Putonghua)—based on the Beijing dialect—was officially adopted as China’s national language. It helped unify communication across the country’s many dialects.
1945 – Chinese was included as one of the six official UN languages when the UN was founded.
1973 – Chinese became a working language of the UN General Assembly.
2010 – The UN established Chinese Language Day on April 20, honoring Cangjie and promoting global linguistic diversity.
How To Celebrate
So, now that you know all about the day, let’s talk how to celebrate UN Chinese Language Day.
You don’t have to hop on a plane to Beijing. There are fun ways to join the celebration from wherever you are.
1. Learn a Few Chinese Words
Start simple! Try greeting your friends with 你好 (nǐ hǎo) or 早上好 (zǎoshang hǎo), which means “Good morning.” Impress your coworkers with 再见 (zàijiàn) for “goodbye.”
2. Take a Mandarin Class
You can join free online courses or apps like Duolingo, HelloChinese, or YouTube tutorials. Who knows? This could be the start of your bilingual journey.
3. Watch a Chinese Movie
Whether it’s a martial arts epic like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or a touching drama like The Farewell, turn on subtitles and enjoy the ride.
4. Try Chinese Calligraphy
Grab a brush or stylus and try drawing some Chinese hanzi. It’s relaxing, artistic, and gives you major cultural appreciation points.
5. Eat Chinese Food (with Chopsticks!)
You knew this was coming. Celebrate the day with some dumplings, noodles, or hot pot. Bonus points for ordering in Mandarin!
Amazing Facts
- Chinese is the most spoken language in the world
Over 1.3 billion people speak Chinese as their first language. - Chinese is a tonal language
The meaning of a word changes based on your tone. For example, "ma" can mean mom, horse, or scold—depending on pitch. - The characters are thousands of years old
Chinese writing began with oracle bones in the Shang Dynasty, around 1600 BCE. - Chinese is one of six official UN languages
Alongside English, Arabic, French, Spanish, and Russian. - There are many dialects of Chinese
Mandarin is the most common, but others include Cantonese, Hokkien, Hakka, and Shanghainese. - You read Chinese from left to right—or top to bottom
Modern Chinese is mostly horizontal, but vertical writing is still used in art and signs.
Why We Love
You might be thinking: okay, so a lot of people speak Chinese, but what makes it so special?
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It’s beautifully pictorial – Chinese hanzi (characters) look like art. They’re visual, meaningful, and sometimes poetic.
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It’s musical – Chinese is tonal, which means how you say a word changes its meaning. It’s like singing while speaking!
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It’s ancient and modern – You’re reading the same writing system used thousands of years ago, but it’s still fresh and evolving today.
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It unlocks a whole culture – Learn Chinese, and you can truly experience Chinese literature, philosophy, cinema, and food in a deeper way.
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