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Use of Language by Hong Kong Population(1)

Over half of the population aged 5 and over was able to speak English or Putonghua

1. The results of the 2016 Population By-census showed that the proportion of the population aged 5 and over who reported that they could speak English, either as the usual spoken language or as another spoken language, increased from 43.9% in 2006 to 51.9% in 2016. The proportion of the population aged 5 and over who could speak Putonghua also increased from 41.2% in 2006 to 50.6% in 2016.
(Chart 1)


Other than Cantonese and Putonghua, the three most common Chinese dialects spoken by the Hong Kong population were Hakka, Fukien and Chiu Chau

2. Cantonese was still the most commonly used language by the Hong Kong population. Yet the proportion of population aged 5 and over who could speak the language decreased slightly from 97.7% in 2006 to 96.7% in 2016.

3. Besides, 16.5% of the population aged 5 and over could speak other Chinese dialects other than Cantonese and Putonghua. Among these other Chinese dialects, the three most commonly spoken ones were Hakka, Fukien and Chiu Chau.
(Chart 1)

Snapshot Chart 1
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The literacy of the Hong Kong population was high, 96% of the population aged 5 and over was able to read at least one language

4. Analysed by age group, those aged 15-24 and 25-34 had the highest literacy rate (i.e. proportion of population being able to read at least one language), both at 99.9%. Also, 95.8% and 89.0% of them respectively were able to read at least two languages.
(Chart 2)

Snapshot Chart 2
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Over 80% of the higher-skilled workers in the Hong Kong working population were able to read and write both Chinese and English

5. The proportions of managers and administrators, professionals and associate professionals who were able to read and write both Chinese and English were high at 84.4%, 92.7% and 89.4% respectively in 2016. The corresponding proportions of these higher-skilled workers who reported as being "biliterate and trilingual"(2) were 55.1%, 58.3% and 51.4% respectively.

6. On the other hand, the proportion of workers in elementary occupations who were able to read and write both Chinese and English was low (34.9%). This was mainly because the majority of them did not have the ability to read or write English.
(Chart 3)

Snapshot Chart 3
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Over 90% of persons aged 6-24 attending full-time courses in educational institutions in Hong Kong were able to read and write both Chinese and English

7. Among the persons attending full-time courses in educational institutions in Hong Kong, those aged 18-24 had the highest proportion of being able to read and write both Chinese and English, at 97.0% in 2016. This was followed by those aged 12-17 and the corresponding proportion was 95.1%.

8. 63.7% of the persons aged 6-24 attending full-time courses in educational institutions in Hong Kong were "biliterate and trilingual" in 2016. The corresponding proportions of those aged 12-17 and 18-24 were higher, at 66.4% and 67.7% respectively.
(Chart 4)

Snapshot Chart 4
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Notes:
(1) Excluding mute persons and foreign domestic helpers.
(2) This refers to the ability to read and write both Chinese and English, as well as speak Cantonese, Putonghua and English.


Other references

1. 2016 Population By-census - Main Results

2. 2016 Population By-census - Summary Results

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