The Huizhou dialect (simplified Chinese: 惠州话; traditional Chinese: 惠州話; pinyin: Huìzhōuhuà) is a Chinese dialect spoken in and around Huicheng District, the traditional urban centre of Huizhou, Guangdong.^[2] The locals also call the dialect Bendihua (simplified Chinese: 本地话; traditional Chinese: 本地話; pinyin: Běndìhuà; lit. 'local speech') and distinguish it from the dialect spoken in Meixian and Danshui, Huiyang, which they call Hakka (simplified Chinese: 客家话; traditional Chinese: 客家話; pinyin: Kèjiāhuà).^[2][3]

Classification

The classification of the Huizhou dialect is disputed because it shows characteristics of both Yue and Hakka. Most scholars classify the Huizhou dialect as a dialect of Hakka, but some scholars, most notably Liu Shuxin, consider it to be a dialect of Yue.^[2]

The first edition of the Language Atlas of China puts it into its own subgroup under Hakka known as the Huizhou subgroup (惠州片; Huìzhōu piàn).^[4] In the second edition, it is still classified as a dialect of Hakka, but it is placed under the Mei–Hui cluster (梅惠小片; Méi-Huì xiǎopiàn) of the Yue–Tai subgroup (粤台片; 粵臺片; Yuè-Tái piàn).^[5]

Liu Shuxin groups it together with other similar dialects spoken around the middle and upper reaches of the Dong River, including the Heyuan dialect, into the Hui–He branch (惠河系; Huì-Hé xì) of Yue.^[6] Chang Song-hing and Zhuang Chusheng propose a similar grouping called the Hui–He subgroup (惠河片; Huì-Hé piàn), but they classify the group as Hakka.^[7]

Phonology

Tones

The Huizhou dialect has seven tones:^[8]

Other than these seven tones, ˥ (55) appears in some grammatical particles.^[13]

Grammar

Verbal aspect

The Huizhou dialect has several aspectual markers that attach to the verb as suffixes:^[14][15][16]

Pronouns

The Huizhou dialect has the following personal pronouns. The plural is formed by a tone change.^[17]

Vocabulary

The Huizhou dialect has many cognates with Yue and/or Hakka (cognates with Huizhou are shaded in blue):^[18]