Chinese dialect (8)
'chinese dialect' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for mandarin that I've seen before include "Tongue" , "Reddish-orange, loose-skinned citrus fruit" , "High-ranking bureaucrat" , "Important government official" , "Top civil servant" .)
(Other definitions for cantonese that I've seen before include "Oriental" , "way to cook" , "Asian language?" , "Form of Chinese" , "tongue" .)