Baihua
/pǎi xwâ/noun
A form of written Chinese based on the spoken vernacular rather than Classical Chinese.
Did you know?Baihua became a rallying point during China’s New Culture and May Fourth movements, when writers argued that everyday speech could transform society more powerfully than elite literary language.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese
Chinese
白 (*braːk)
“White; the color term later written with the character 白.”
Classical Chinese
Chinese
白話
“Literally “white speech”; 白 could suggest plainness or clarity, while 話 meant speech or words.”
Middle Chinese
Chinese
白話
“A contrast between ordinary spoken language and the highly literary Classical Chinese style.”
Late Imperial China
Chinese
白話 (báihuà)
“Vernacular language used in popular storytelling, drama, novels, and practical writing.”
Early 20th Century
Chinese
白話文 (báihuàwén)
“Vernacular writing promoted by reformers during the New Culture and May Fourth movements.”
Modern English
English
baihua
“A transliterated term for vernacular Chinese, especially the modern written vernacular tradition.”