pai-hua

[ bahyhwah ]

noun

1. a colloquial form of written Chinese based on the spoken language, in use especially since 1917.

Word History and Origins

Origin of pai-hua¹

< Chinese báihuà, equivalent to bái plain, pure, white + huà word, talk

Example Sentences

So Jimmy set out to create a plain people's literature in Pai-hua.

From Time Magazine Archive

To give a sample of what present-day Chinese are reading, Journalist Edgar Snow last week published a translation of 24 pai-hua stories.

From Time Magazine Archive

Editor Snow admits his translations are very free, admits also that he has freely used his blue pencil, because even pai-hua is too discursive for occidental taste.

From Time Magazine Archive

Because they are written in pai-hua, China's national cussword appears frequently.

From Time Magazine Archive