Proto-Wu

Wu
吳語/吴语 ngu1 ngiu1
Wu (Wú Yǔ) written in Chinese characters
Native to	China and overseas communities with origins from Shanghai, Jiangsu or Zhejiang
Region	City of Shanghai, Zhejiang, southeastern Jiangsu, parts of Anhui and Jiangxi provinces
Ethnicity	Wu peoples (Han Chinese)
Native speakers	80 million (2007)
Language family	Sino-Tibetan Sinitic Chinese Wu
Dialects	Taihu (e.g. Shanghainese) Taizhou Oujiang (e.g. Wenzhounese) Shang–Li Jin–Qu Xuanzhou
Language codes
ISO 639-3
Glottolog	wuch1236
Linguasphere	79-AAA-d
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Wu (Shanghainese: IPA: [ɦu˨˨ ɲy˦˦], Suzhou dialect: IPA: [ɦəu˨˨ ɲy˦˦], Wuxi dialect: IPA: [ŋ˨˨˧ nʲy˨˨]) is a group of linguistically similar and historically related varieties of Chinese primarily spoken in the whole city of Shanghai, Zhejiang province, southern Jiangsu province and bordering areas.

Major Wu varieties include those of Shanghai, Suzhou, Ningbo, Wuxi, Wenzhou/Oujiang, Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Jinhua and Yongkang. Wu speakers, such as Chiang Kai-shek, Lu Xun and Cai Yuanpei, occupied positions of great importance in modern Chinese culture and politics. Wu can also be found being used in Shaoxing opera, which is second only in national popularity to Peking opera; as well as in the performances of the popular entertainer and comedian Zhou Libo. Wu is also spoken in a large number of diaspora communities, with significant centers of immigration originating from Shanghai, Qingtian and Wenzhou.