国家 + 人／语
country + 人 = a person from there; country + 语 or 文 = its language
Structure
国家 + 人 · 国家 + 语／文 · 汉语／中文
What it means
Add 人 to a country to name its people. For the language, drop 国 and add 语 or 文.
How it is built
Country + 人: 中国人, 英国人, 日本人. ○国 → ○语 or ○文: 英语 (English), 法语 (French); 日本 → 日语. 我是中国人，我说汉语。 (I'm Chinese, and I speak Chinese.)
When to use it
Use 人 for nationality, 语 or 文 for the language. Chinese is 汉语 or 中文; both are fine in everyday speech.
Watch out
Don't keep 国 before 语: ✗ 中国语 ✗ 英国语 ✓ 汉语 or 中文 ✓ 英语. An American is 美国人, but the language is 英语.
Examples
我是中国人，我说汉语。
I’m Chinese, and I speak Chinese.
她是法国人，也学中文。
She’s French, and she’s learning Chinese too.
大卫是英国人，汉语是他的外语。
David is British, so Chinese is a foreign language for him.
Learn this in HSK 1 · Lesson 2: 你是哪国人 (Where are you from?)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. This lesson is free.
Open the lesson →