Can a standard language facilitate active aging? The association between Mandarin proficiency and social participation among older adults

Using three waves of China General Social Survey data (2017, 2018, and 2021), this study examined the association between Mandarin proficiency (listening and speaking) and multidimensional social participation among older adults. The association varied across participation types: (1) in contribution-oriented participation, the role of Mandarin proficiency in political and productive participation depended on specific language skills and subgroup characteristics, whereas it showed a significant positive association with older adults’ consumption participation; (2) in self-interest-oriented participation, Mandarin proficiency was positively associated with sports and leisure participation, whereas speaking proficiency showed a negative association with kinship and friendship interaction specifically among urban older adults; and (3) Mandarin proficiency significantly reduced the risk of the digital divide. Mediation analysis indicated that these associations were driven mainly by direct pathways. Language promotion should be integrated with broader socio-structural reforms to translate linguistic gains into tangible economic and social opportunities.