The primary language spoken in China is Mandarin Chinese, also known as Putonghua. It is the official language of the People's Republic of China and is used in government, education, and media. Mandarin is one of the most spoken languages in the world, with over a billion native speakers. It is characterized by its tonal nature, where the meaning of a word can change based on pronunciation tones. In addition to Mandarin, there are many other regional dialects and languages spoken across China, including Cantonese, Shanghainese, and Hokkien, reflecting the country's rich linguistic diversity.