Chinese word

文

Pronunciation

Pinyinwén

Meaning

  • nountext

Example

这段文听起来很正式。zhè duàn wén tīng qǐ lái hěn zhèng shì

This text sounds very formal.

Illustration for 文 (text)

More examples

本文的开头很吸引人。běn wén de kāi tóu hěn xī yǐn rén

The beginning of this text is very engaging.

Core concept

Written language organized into a meaningful passage, with its form as important as its message.

Common phrases

  • 本文běn wén

    the present text

  • 正文zhèng wén

    main text

  • 短文duǎn wén

    short text

Similar words

文章wén zhāng: A finished work of writing, such as a newspaper article or an essay.
文本wén běn: The written material itself, including the data or file that stores it.
段落duàn luò: A smaller part of a written work with its own meaning.
句子jù zi: The smallest unit of writing that expresses a complete thought.

Definition in Chinese

指以文字构成、能传达意思的语言单位，可以指单句、段落或整篇文章，侧重其书面性与格式。zhǐ yǐ wén zì gòu chéng néng chuán dá yì si de yǔ yán dān wèi ké yǐ zhǐ dān jù duàn luò huò zhěng piān wén zhāng cè zhòng qí shū miàn xìng yǔ gé shì

Word origin

The character 文 (wén, "text; writing") comes from an early image of lines or patterns, a form that later became linked with writing and written expression.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may reserve "passage" for a longer section, but this word can cover a single sentence as well as a paragraph or full piece when the focus is written form.

Other meanings

  • stylenoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word