Philippine Hokkien

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Philippine Hokkien
Fookien; Fukien
Lân-lâng-oé; 咱儂話
Native to Philippines, Canada, China, Taiwan, United States
Region Metro Manila, Angeles, Cebu, Bacolod, Vigan, Naga, Ilagan, Davao City, and other Philippine communities with a substantial Chinese minority.
Native speakers
unknown (590,000 cited 1982)[1]
(98.7% of all Chinese in the Philippines)
Language codes
ISO 639-3

Philippine Hokkien (Chinese: 咱儂話; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lán-lâng-ōe; literally "our people's language"), known as Hokkien in the Philippines, is the Hokkien dialect of Min Nan as spoken by about 98.7% of the ethnic Chinese population of the Philippines.



There are various Chinese terms used:

  • 咱人話 (Hokkien: lán-lâng-ōe; Mandarin: zánrénhuà) -- literally meaning "our own people's speech", this refers only to Philippine Hokkien.
  • 閩南語 (Hokkien: bân-lâm-gí; Mandarin: mǐnnányǔ) -- literally meaning "Southern Min language" or "Ban Lam Gi" or "Minnan language", this refers to the variant spoken in Quanzhou, Zhangzhou,Xiamen and Taiwan (in Taiwan and Mainland China).
  • 台語 (Hokkien: tâi-gí; Mandarin: tái-yǔ)-- literally meaning "Taiwanesse Southern Min language" or "Taiwanesse Ban Lam Gi" or "Taiwanesse Minnan language",this refers to Taiwanesse Hokkien (in Taiwan,Repiblic of China).
  • 厦門話 (Hokkien: e-mng-ue; Mandarin: xiamenyu)--literally meaning Xiamen Speech refers to Min Nan language spoken in Xiamen City in Fujian, Mainland China.
  • 泉州話 (Hokkien: tsuân-tsiu-uē; Mandarin: quánzhōuhuà )--literally meaning Quanzhou Speech refers to Min Nan language spoken in Quanzhou City and other City Like Shishi City, Nan-an City,An-xi City Jinjiang City, Hui-an City, Ying-chun City,Dehua City and Tong-an City in Fujian, Mainland China.
  • 漳州話 (Hokkien: tsiang-tsiu-uē; Mandarin:zhāngzhōuhuà)--literally meaning Zhangzhou Speech refers to Min Nan language spoken in Zhangzhou City and other City Like longyan City,Zhangping City, and Dongshan City in Fujian, Mainland China.
  • 福建話 (Hokkien: hok-kiàn-gí; Mandarin: fújiànhuà) -- literally meaning "Fujianese language", this refers to all Fujianese languages in Taiwan and Mainland China, however this term is a misnomer because in Fujian, China there are many other language's like Min dong language, Min zhong language and etc.




Geographic spread[edit]

Hokkien is spoken by ethnic Chinese throughout the Philippines. Major cities that have a significant number of Chinese include Metro Manila and Cebu. Other cities which also substantial Chinese populations in Angeles City, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao City, Ilagan (Isabela), Iloilo City, Naga, Tacloban, Vigan City, and Zamboanga City.

Provinces with a large Chinese population include Albay, Bataan, Cagayan, Camarines Sur, Cavite, Cebu, Compostela Valley, Davao, Davao del Sur, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Isabela, La Union, Leyte, Misamis Occidental, Negros Occidental, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon, Rizal, South Cotabato, Surigao del Norte, Tarlac, and Zamboanga del Sur.


Languages spoken by Chinese Filipinos at home

Only 12.2% of all ethnic Chinese have a Chinese language as their mother tongue. Nevertheless, the vast majority (77%) still retain the ability to understand and speak Hokkien as a second or third language.[2]

Prior to the emergence of China as a regional power in the late 1990s, speaking Hokkien, Mandarin, and other Chinese languages was seen as "old-fashioned" and "awkward", with the younger generation of Chinese Filipinos opting to use either English or Filipino as their first languages.

Recent developments showing the rise of a politically and economically stronger China eventually led to the newly found elegance and style now associated with speaking Hokkien and another Chinese languages. Hence, there is a stronger clamour for instructors who can produce students fluent in Hookien and Mandarin. Many young parents are also shifting to using Hokkien at home as their children's first language.






History and formation[edit]








Bilabial Alveolar Alveolo-palatal Velar Glottal
Voiceless Voiced Voiceless Voiced Voiceless Voiced Voiceless Voiced Voiceless
Nasal m [m]
ㄇ 毛(moo)
n [n]
ㄋ 耐(nāi)
ng [ŋ]
ㄫ 雅(ngá)
Plosive Unaspirated p [p]
ㄅ 邊(pian)
b [b]
ㆠ 文(bûn)
t [t]
ㄉ 地(tē)
k [k]
ㄍ 求(kiû)
g [g]
ㆣ 語(gí)
Aspirated ph [pʰ]
ㄆ 波(pho)
th [tʰ]
ㄊ 他(thann)
kh [kʰ]
ㄎ 去(khì)
Affricate Unaspirated ts [ts]
ㄗ 曾(tsan)
j [dz]
ㆡ 熱(jua̍h)
tsi [tɕ]
ㄐ 尖(tsiam)
ji [dʑ]
ㆢ 入(ji̍p)
Aspirated tsh [tsʰ]
ㄘ 出(tshut)
tshi [tɕʰ]
ㄑ 手(tshiú)
Fricative s [s]
ㄙ 衫(sann)
si [ɕ]
ㄒ 寫(siá)
h [h]
ㄏ 喜(hí)
Lateral l [l]
ㄌ 柳(liú)
Bilabial Alveolar Velar Glottal
Nasal consonant -m [m]
-n [n]
-ng [ŋ]
Stop consonant -p [p̚]
-t [t̚]
-k [k̚]
-h [ʔ]
Syllabic consonant
Bilabial Velar
Nasal m [m̩]
ㆬ 姆(ḿ)
ng [ŋ̍]
ㆭ 酸(sng)



Front Central Back
Simple Nasal Simple Simple Nasal
Close i [i]
ㄧ 衣(i)
iⁿ [ĩ]
ㆪ 圓(îⁿ)
u [u]
ㄨ 污(u)
uⁿ [ũ]
ㆫ 張(tiuⁿ)
Mid e [e]
ㆤ 禮(lé)
eⁿ [ẽ]
ㆥ 生(seⁿ)
o [ə]
ㄜ 高(ko)
ㆦ 烏(o͘ )
oⁿ [ɔ̃]
ㆧ 翁(oⁿ)
Open a [a]
ㄚ 查(cha)
aⁿ [ã]
ㆩ 衫(saⁿ)
Diphthongs & Triphthongs
Diphthongs ai [aɪ]
au [aʊ]
ia [ɪa]
io [ɪo]
iu [iu]
oa [ua]
oe [ue]
ui [ui]
Triphthongs iau [ɪaʊ]
oai [uai]

Code endings[edit]

Bilabial Alveolar Velar Glottal
Nasal consonant -m [m]
-n [n]
-ng [ŋ]
Stop consonant -p [p̚]
-t [t̚]
-k [k̚]
-h [ʔ]
Syllabic consonant
Bilabial Velar
Nasal m [m̩]
ㆬ 姆(ḿ)
ng [ŋ̍]
ㆭ 酸(sng)


Tone Number 1 5 2 6 3 7 4 8
Taipei, Taiwan 44 24 53 - 11 33 32 4
Tainan, Taiwan 44 23 41 - 21 33 32 44
Zhangzhou, Fujian 34 13 53 - 21 22 32 121
Quanzhou, Fujian
Manila, Philippines
33 24 55 22 41 5 24

In general, Min Nan has 7 to 9 tones, and tone is extensive. There are minor variations between the Quanzhou and Zhangzhou tone systems. Taiwanese tones follow the schemes of Amoy or Quanzhou, depending on the area of Taiwan. Both Amoy and Taiwanese Min Nan typically has 7 tones; the 9th tone is used only in special or foreign loan words. Quanzhou is the only Min Nan Language with 8 tones, of which 6th tone is present. The Philippine Min Nan Language follows the 8 tones of Quanzhou because many of the Chinese Filipino how speak Min Nan Language in the Philippines there ancestors are form Quanzhou (Fujian) in China.

Differences from other Hokkien variants[edit]



Similarities with either Quanzhou and Zhangzhou variants


Similarities with Standard Xiamen (Amoy) variant


  • The use of -e suffix where other variants have -oe, e.g. 火 he, 未 be, 地 , 細 .
Use of colloquialisms


Loanwords from English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Philippine languages


  • ba-su: cup
  • tshe-ke: check
  • ka-mú-ti: sweet potato
  • o-pi-sin: office

Sample phrases[edit]

Everyday Phrases
  • good evening - hó-àm (好晚安)
  • you're welcome - m-bián khe-khì (毋免..)
  • Congratulations! - Kiong-hí! (恭喜)
Common Pronouns

See also[edit]


  1. ^ Chinese, Min Nan reference at Ethnologue (17th ed., 2013)