Standard Mandarin, also known as Putonghua, is the official language of China and is based on the Beijing dialect. It serves as a common means of communication among the diverse linguistic groups in the country. Standard Mandarin is used in government, education, and media, making it essential for national unity. The language is characterized by its tonal nature, meaning that the pitch or intonation used when pronouncing a word can change its meaning. Standard Mandarin uses simplified characters, which were introduced to increase literacy rates. It is also one of the six official languages of the United Nations.