Hoklo people
The Hoklo people (Chinese: 福佬人; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Ho̍h-ló-lâng) are a Han Chinese subgroup[6] who speak Hokkien,[7] a Southern Min language,[8] or trace their ancestry to southeastern Fujian in China,[9] and known by various related terms such as Banlam people (閩南人; Bân-lâm-lâng), Minnan people, or more commonly in Southeast Asia as the Hokkien people (福建人; Hok-kiàn-lâng).[a] The Hokkien people are found in significant numbers in mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, Myanmar, the United States, Hong Kong, and Macau. The Hokkien people have a distinct culture and architecture, including Hokkien shrines and temples with tilted sharp eaves, high and slanted top roofs, and finely detailed decorative inlays of wood and porcelain. The Hokkien language, which includes Taiwanese Hokkien, is the mainstream Southern Min, which is partially mutually intelligible to the Teochew language, Hainanese, Leizhou Min, and Haklau Min.
閩南泉漳民族
22,277,000 (est.)
Largest group of Malaysian Chinese
Largest group of Chinese Singaporeans
Largest group of Chinese Filipinos[2]
Largest group of Chinese Indonesians[3]
Largest group of Bruneian Chinese
One of the four largest groups of Burmese Chinese[4]
70,000+[5]
45,000 (est.)
In Southern Fujian, the Hokkien speakers refer to themselves as Banlam people (閩南人; Bân-lâm-lâng) or generally speaking, Hokkien people (福建人; Hok-kiàn-lâng). In Mandarin, they also call themselves Minnan people (閩南人; 闽南人; Mǐnnán rén).
In Taiwan, the term "Hoklo" is usually used for the people. The term Holo[10] (Ho̍h-ló)[11] is also used to refer to Taiwanese Hokkien and those people who speak it. The term is likely an exonym originating from Hakka or Cantonese that some Hokkien and Teochew speakers, particularly in Taiwan and mainland China, borrowed from, since the term is not recognized by Hokkien speakers in Southeast Asia. There are three common ways to write Hoklo in Chinese characters, although their etymological correctness is often disputed:
In Hakka, Teochew, and Cantonese, Hoklo may be written as Hoglo (學老; 'learned aged') and 學佬 ('learned folk').
In the Philippines, Chinese Filipinos, where most are usually of ethnic Hokkien descent, usually generally refer to themselves as Lannang (咱儂; Lán-lâng / Lán-nâng / Nán-nâng) or sometimes more specifically Hokkien people (福建儂; Hok-kiàn-lâng).
In Malaysia and Singapore, Hokkien Malaysians and Singaporeans generally refer to themselves as Tng Lang (Tang People)(Chinese: 唐儂; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tn̂g-lâng), where those of Hokkien-speaking descent are more specifically known as Hokkien people (福建儂; Hok-kiàn-lâng).
In Indonesia, Hokkien Indonesians generally refer to themselves as Tionghoa (中華; Tiong-hôa), where those of ethnic Hokkien descent are more specifically known as Hokkien people (福建人; Hok-kiàn-lâng).
Distribution[edit]
Speakers of proper Hokkien language live in the areas of Xiamen, Quanzhou and Zhangzhou in southern Fujian. Most Min Nan-speaking groups in southern Fujian refer to themselves by the area where they live, for example: Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Teochew people or Hailufeng people.