Chaoshan or Teoswa (Chinese: 潮汕; pinyin: Cháoshàn) is the linguistic and cultural region in the east of Guangdong, China that is developing into a single metropolis. This region is the origin of the Min Nan Teochew dialect (潮汕话). The region, also known as Chiusaan in Cantonese, consists of the cities Jieyang, Chaozhou and Shantou. It differs linguistically from the rest of Guangdong province which consists of Leizhou Min, Yue, and Hakka speakers. It is historically important as the ancestral homeland of many Thais, Singaporeans, and Malaysians of Chinese descent.