普通话，即现代标准汉语，简称现代汉语。它是"以北京语音为标准音，以北方话为基础方言，以典范的现代白话文著作为语法规范的汉民族共同语。"普通话是现代汉语的交际口语与书面语。普通话，又称国语、华语，是通行于中国大陆、香港、澳门、台湾和海外华人中的共通语言。普通话是中国的官方语言，除此之外，也是新加坡四种官方语言之一，同时也是联合国六大官方语言之一。

Putonghua refers to Modern Standard Chinese, or simply Modern Chinese. It is the common language of the Han nationality "with its pronunciation based on the Beijing dialect, with China's northern dialects as its basic dialect, and its grammar based on the model of modern vernacular writings." Putonghua is both the spoken and written language of Modern Chinese. The term is also known as Mandarin or Chinese. It is a common language used on the Chinese mainland, in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Chinese abroad. Putonghua is China's official language, and one of Singapore's four official languages. It is also one of the United Nations' six major official languages.