GB/T 46236.1-2025Specification for the survey on the protection of language resources of China — Part 1: Chinese dialects (English PDF)
中国语言资源保护调查规范 第1部分:汉语方言
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Issued by
SAMR; SAC
Level / Type
National · Recommended
Issue date
August 29, 2025
Implementation date
March 1, 2026
Scope
GB/T 46236.1-2025 is the English-translated version of 中国语言资源保护调查规范 第1部分:汉语方言.
GB/T 46236.1-2025 is the Chinese national standard covering how a Chinese dialect is recorded for the national language resources programme — the choice of survey point and of speakers, with an older and a younger informant of each sex at least twenty-five years apart so that the material shows the dialect changing, the phonology, vocabulary, grammar and discourse schedules, the oral culture and local standard Mandarin, the corpus processing, and the verification. At 37,500 words. Part 1 of the series. First edition, under the Ministry of Education. In force from 1 March 2026. Issued on 29 August 2025, it has been in force since 1 March 2026.
Document preview — GB/T 46236.1-2025
National Standard of the People's Republic of China
- ICS
- 01.040.01
- Classification
- A 14
Issued by: State Administration for Market Regulation; Standardization Administration of the PRC
Contents
- PrefaceIII
- IntroductionIV
- 1 Scope1
- 2 Normative References1
- 3 Terms and Definitions1
- 4 Specific requirements for the investigation2
- 5 Corpus processing requirements13
- 6 Verification Method18
- Appendix A (Normative) General Survey Requirements19
- Appendix B (Normative) Requirements for Voice Survey22
- Appendix C (Normative) Vocabulary Survey Requirements42
- Appendix D (Normative) Grammar Survey Requirements61
- Appendix E (Normative) Discourse Survey Requirements68
- Appendix F (Normative) Requirements for Oral Culture Survey69
- Appendix G (Normative) Local Standard Mandarin Survey Requirements70
- References72
Foreword
This document complies with the provisions of GB/T 1.1-2020 "Standardization Work Guidelines Part 1: Structure and Drafting Rules of Standardization Documents". Drafting.
GB/T 46236 "Specifications for Surveying and Protecting Chinese Language Resources" and GB/T 46235 "Specifications for Work on Protecting Chinese Language Resources" together constitute China's national standard system for large-scale language resource protection.
This document is Part 1 of GB/T 46236, "Specifications for the Survey of Chinese Language Resources Protection". GB/T 46236 has been published as follows. part.
— Part 1: Chinese Dialects;
— Part 2: Minority Languages;
— Part 3: Dialect Culture Please note that some content in this document may involve patents. The issuing organization of this document assumes no responsibility for identifying patents.
This document was proposed by the Ministry of Education (Language).
This document is under the jurisdiction of the National Technical Committee on Standardization of Language and Writing (SAC/TC500).
This document was drafted by: Beijing Language and Culture University, Xiamen University, and the Institute of Linguistics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
The main drafters of this document are: Cao Zhiyun, Wang Lining, Liu Xiaohai, Li Rulong, and Liu Danqing.
Introduction
China has 56 ethnic groups and is a multi-ethnic, multilingual, multi-dialectal, and multi-script country, boasting the world's richest linguistic resources.
One of the countries. Chinese is the most spoken language in China, and also the most spoken language as a first language in the world. Modern Chinese...
Languages are divided into standard language and dialects. Standard Mandarin is the standard language of modern Chinese. Chinese dialects are generally divided into ten major dialect groups. Mandarin dialect, Jin dialect,...
Wu dialect, Min dialect, Hakka dialect, Yue dialect, Xiang dialect, Gan dialect, Hui dialect, and Pinghua dialect. From a linguistic perspective, China has 56 dialect groups.
The languages spoken by the ethnic groups belong to five major language families. Sino-Tibetan, Altaic, Austronesian, Austroasiatic, and Indo-European.
Language and writing are the fundamental elements and distinctive symbols of culture, and are important cultural, economic, security, and strategic resources of a nation.
Under the premise of vigorously promoting and standardizing the use of the national common language and script, the Ministry of Education and the State Language Commission launched the National Language and Culture Revitalization Project in 2015.
The major project, "China's Language Resources Protection Project," surveyed nearly 34 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) across China, including Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.
130 languages and their dialects, which have received a positive response from the public.
GB/T 46236, "Specifications for Surveying and Protecting Chinese Language Resources," is a fundamental and universal standard guiding large-scale language resource protection work in China.
The standard is proposed to consist of three parts.
— Part 1: Chinese Dialects. The aim is to establish a scientific and effective framework for the survey of Chinese dialects in large-scale language resource preservation in China.
The standards are standardized, and a Chinese dialect survey form is also provided.
— Part 2: Minority Languages. The aim is to establish a framework for the survey of minority languages in large-scale language resource preservation in China.
The standards are scientific and effective, and a questionnaire on minority languages is also provided.
— Part 3: Dialect Culture. The aim is to establish a scientific and effective framework for dialect culture surveys in the large-scale preservation of Chinese language resources.
This specification provides a standard for surveys on Chinese dialect culture, and also includes a dialect culture survey form. This specification is primarily applicable to surveys on Chinese dialect culture, but can also be used for surveys on minority languages.
The survey on language culture provides insights and references.
The main purpose of this document is to provide a comprehensive understanding of China's linguistic landscape through scientific and unified planning and standardization, and to scientifically protect the rights and interests of all ethnic groups.
We will promote the standardization, normalization, and informatization of the national language and script, inherit and develop the excellent traditional Chinese culture, and enhance the country's cultural soft power.
Strength provides fundamental support for forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese nation.
Standards for the Survey of Chinese Language Resources Protection Part 1: Chinese Dialects
1 Scope
This document stipulates the requirements for the investigation, collection, and corpus organization of Chinese dialects in the protection of Chinese language resources.
This document applies to the investigation, collection, and corpus organization of Chinese dialects in large-scale language resource protection.
Note. The “large-scale language resource protection” in this document refers to the protection of language resources across the entire country or most parts of the country.
2 Normative references
GB 18030-2022
3 Terms and Definitions
The following terms and definitions apply to this document.
3.1 dialect speaker
Born and raised locally, with a family environment where the language is simple (parents and spouse are all locals), not having lived outside the area for an extended period, and able to speak fluent and authentic English.
People who speak the local dialect and can cooperate with the investigation.
3.2
Older male dialect speaker.
Note. Abbreviated as "elderly men".
3.3
Young male dialect speakers whose age gap with local "elderly men" is no less than 25 years.
Note. Abbreviated as "young male".
3.4
An older female dialect speaker.
Note. Abbreviated as "elderly women".
3.5
Young female dialect speakers whose age gap with local "elderly women" is no less than 25 years.
Note. Abbreviated as "young women".
......
This preview omits tables, figures, formulas and parts of the technical clauses. The complete document — 62 pages — is available in the English PDF.
Referenced standards
Normative references
Cited by
- GB/T 46235-2025Specification for protection of language resources of China
- GB/T 46236.2-2025Specification for the survey on the protection of language resources of China — Part 2: Minority languages
- GB/T 46236.3-2025Specification for the survey on the protection of language resources of China — Part 3: Dialect culture
Editions of GB/T 46236.1
| Edition | Title | Revision | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB/T 46236.1-2025 | Specification for the survey on the protection of language resources of China - Part 1: Chinese dialects | current edition | Current |
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Related Standards
GB 18030-2022 — Information technology - Chinese coded character set
GB/T 46236.2-2025 — Specification for the survey on the protection of language resources of China — Part 2: Minority languages
GB/T 46236.3-2025 — Specification for the survey on the protection of language resources of China — Part 3: Dialect culture
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