Chinese languages, often referred to as Chinese, are a group of related languages that belong to the Sino-Tibetan language family. The most widely spoken among them is Mandarin, which serves as the official language of China and Taiwan. Other notable varieties include Cantonese, Shanghainese, and Hokkien, each with its own unique characteristics and regional significance. These languages are primarily tonal, meaning that the pitch or intonation used when pronouncing a word can change its meaning. The writing system is based on Chinese characters, which are logograms representing words or morphemes. This complex system contributes to the rich cultural heritage associated with the Chinese language.