Chinese Language Day 2023: More than one billion people speak Chinese as their first language that’s more than any other population in the globe! UNESCO (part of the United Nations) first created Chinese Language Day in 2010 to commemorate Chinese as one of the six official languages of the United Nations. We’ve enjoyed it every year since on April 20. The day also commemorates Cangjie, who invented Chinese characters about 5,000 years ago. Legend says that when Cangjie completed, the gods rained grain upon the earth.
CHINESE LANGUAGE DAY ACTIVITIES
Learn some Chinese
To say, “Thank you” you say, “xiexie.” Written phonetically, it’s like “she-ye she-ye.” Just repeat it all together like one word. Easy right? Now you know some Chinese!
Visit a Chinese establishment
Most everyone has a beloved Chinese dish, but if you don’t, try Peking duck. You will never experience anything else like it. Then, at the end of your meal with taste buds in nirvana, you can prove you’re a citizen of the world by thanking your server in Chinese of course.
Watch a Chinese movie
You’re in luck. Some of the most visually stunning movies in the world originate from China. Maybe start with “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” After realizing how beautiful the Mandarin language sounds and how great Chinese movies are, you’ll have a whole new genre with thousands of films to investigate on Chinese Language Day.
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WHY WE LOVE CHINESE LANGUAGE DAY
We can say thank you to China
It’s the day we get to say “xiexie” (thank you) for the wonderful stuff China has provided us. Like spaghetti? It came from Italy, but the noodles (the critical component) originated in China. We can credit China for inventing paper. Who could survive without it? Plus, do you like Earl Grey tea? Captain Picard did. Despite the appellation, the tea originated in the Chinese Imperial court. Think about all that during Chinese Language Day.
China has some alternatives
China can claim 11 languages lumping together related ones with Mandarin as the national language. Adding to that, the Chinese speak more than 1,500 distinct dialects.
The celebs speak Chinese
Chinese movie icons rock, and they speak Chinese. Jackie Chan is arguably the world’s greatest stuntman and Jet Li is the world’s most famous martial artist. Michelle Yeoh was a gorgeous and lethal Bond girl. Zhang Ziyi has starred in some outstanding films. The facts bear the truth: some of the world’s coolest individuals speak Chinese.
CHINESE LANGUAGE DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | April 20 | Thursday |
| 2024 | April 20 | Saturday |
| 2025 | April 20 | Sunday |
| 2026 | April 20 | Monday |
| 2027 | April 20 | Tuesday |
