Cantonese is natively spoken by about 90 million people, primarily in Guangdong province and Hong Kong, as well as among the Chinese diaspora in Southeast Asia, North America, and Europe. It is a vital part of the cultural identity in these regions, known for its distinct cuisine, cinema, and music. Written using Chinese characters, Cantonese grammar includes a subject-verb-object (SVO) word order and a complex tonal system with six tones that distinguish word meanings.