Alternate Names: Bo-I, Bui, Buyei, Buyi, Buyui, Chung-Chia, Dioi, Giay, Pui, Pu-I, Pujai, Pu-Jui, Puyi, Puyoi, Shuihu, Tujia, Zhongjia
Dialects: Qiannan (Bouyei 1, Southern Guizhou), Qianxi (Bouyei 3, Western Guizhou), Qianzhong (Bouyei 2, Central Guizhou).
Status Notes: Language of recognized nationality: Bouyei.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 2,600,000 in China (2000 census). Population total all countries: 2,649,200. Ethnic population: 2,950,000 (2000 census).
Language Use: Vigorous. Rare oral use in local administration, commerce, education. All ages. Also use Mandarin Chinese [cmn], Sui [swi]. Used as L2 by Bu-Nao Bunu [bwx], Mak [mkg], T’en [tct].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: Very low. Literacy rate in L2: 76% (2000 census). Poetry. Films. Dictionary.
Typology: SVO; modifiers follow heads; highly monosyllabic; tonal, 6 tone categories in open syllables and 4 in closed syllables.
Writing System: Han (Hanzi), Han (Kanji), Han (Hanja), Latin
Nation of Origin: China
Other Comments: Ethnonym: Giay in Viet Nam. Quinnan hua (Quinnan speech) also refers to a dialect of southwestern Mandarin spoken in Guizhou, and should not be confused with the Qiannan Bouyei dialect. Traditional religion, Buddhist, Daoist.