The counties and cities in southern Fujian are Quanzhou, shishi city, Jinjiang, Nan 'an, Hui 'an, Anxi, Yongchun, Dehua, Datian and kinmen county. Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Longhai, Xiao Yun, Zhangpu, Zhao 'an, Changtai, Dongshan, Nanjing, Pinghe, Hua 'an, xinluo district and zhangping city.

Mainly according to language, culture and customs.

Puxian dialect, which is popular in Putian, originated from Minnan dialect, but it was very different in modern times, and it can no longer communicate with Minnan dialect in other regions. Although the administrative divisions of Longyan, xinluo district and zhangping city are closely related to western Fujian, their geographical location, origin, language, culture and customs all belong to southern Fujian. Historically, Longyan, xinluo district and Zhangping all belong to Zhangzhou.

Therefore, the narrow sense of Minnan only refers to Xiamen-Quanzhou-Zhangzhou-Longyan, xinluo district and Zhangping.