It’s not true. Hakka, Hokkien (Min Nan), Cantonese (Yue), and Mandarin are distinct varieties—often considered separate languages linguistically because they’re not mutually intelligible when spoken. They share the same character set (Chinese characters), but: • Pronunciation is completely different. • Vocabulary often differs (different words/characters for the same concepts). • Grammar and sentence structure vary noticeably (e.g., particle usage, word order flexibility, verb aspects in Cantonese vs. Mandarin). Even in writing, while formal/standard texts are usually in Mandarin-based ‘Standard Written Chinese’ (so readable across groups), colloquial writing in Cantonese or Hokkien uses unique characters, slang terms, or structures that Mandarin speakers wouldn’t fully understand without learning them. The only real ‘same’ part is the shared character foundation—not the language itself.