Mainland China () is term which is usually synonymous with the area currently administered by the People's Republic of China (PRC); however, it usually excludes the two special administrative regions administered by the People's Republic of China: Hong Kong and Macau, which are governed under the "one country, two systems" policy and have a high degree of autonomy. The term is almost always used in the context of distinguishing Mainland China from Taiwan and other islands administered by the Republic of China (ROC): Penghu, Quemoy, and Matsu islands, as well as the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.

"Mainland China" (Zhōngguó dàlù) or simply ("the Mainland") is widely used by Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and in overseas Chinese communities. This term is neutral toward the political status of Taiwan, and might imply an existence or extension of the political administration of China beyond the mainland (i.e. to Taiwan). This connotation of a broader China without specifying which China, the PRC or the ROC, and how many Chinas, One China or otherwise, enables Chinese from all around the world to refer to the Chinese mainland without triggering political differences. However, "Mainland China" is rarely used by those in Taiwan who support independence of Taiwan from China (both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China). These supporters of Taiwanese independence refer to the mainland simply as "China" without the mainland modifier to suggest any extension/existence of China to Taiwan, which they simply call "Taiwan" without the "ROC" modifier.

On the Mainland, the term Zhōngguó nèidì (內地 "the interior of China") is used to distinguish Mainland China from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. This term is used more often after the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong and Macau.

In Taiwan, the term Mainlander can refer to wàishěng rén (外省人, literally "external province person(s)"), who are the people who emigrated to Taiwan from Mainland China near the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949; children of wàishěng rén, who are born in Taiwan. The status of waishengren in Taiwan is a divisive political issue, with pro-Taiwan independence politicians calling into question their loyalty and devotion to Taiwan and pro-Chinese reunification politicians accusing the pro-independence politicians of playing identity politics. *

The term Mainlander can also refer to dàlù rén (大陸人, literally "Mainland person(s)"), meaning the people who live on the Mainland now and the very small number of people who have emigrated to Taiwan recently. The term Mainlander is used in Hong Kong and Macau for people from the rest of the PRC.

Relations between Mainland China and Taiwan are typically known in Chinese as liǎng'àn guānxì (兩岸關係), which literally means "relations between the two sides/shores (of the Strait of Taiwan)" and is known in English as "cross-straits relations". The term hǎixiá liǎng'àn (two shores) is often used when describing Mainland China and Taiwan collectively.

When Hong Kong is involved, the term liǎng'àn sāndì (兩岸三地, literally "two shores, three places") is used. When Macau is also mentioned, the term used is liǎng'àn sìdì(兩岸四地, literally "two shores, four places") .

The term Mainland China is used more often since the transfers of sovereignty, to the People's Republic of China, of Hong Kong in 1997 and Macau in 1999. Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau have different customs and immigration control, passports, currencies, stamps, judiciary systems and courts of last resort, public finance, extradition, etc.