Definitions
(noun)
writing; literature
(noun)
language; culture
(adjective)
gentle; refined
Etymology
Pictograph of a man with writing (possibly a tattoo) on his chest. In later scripts the writing was abbreviated to a dot or omitted altogether.
About
The character "文" originated as a pictographic representation of a human figure adorned with tattoos or markings, conveying the fundamental idea of patterns or designs. Its structure in both traditional and simplified forms consists of four strokes, maintaining a simple, indivisible composition that reflects its pictorial ancestry. The meaning of "文" expanded from denoting decorative patterns to encompass written language, literary texts, cultural refinement, and civilized order, thus capturing a range of intellectual and social concepts within its semantic field.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我喜欢中文。
他学习英文。
这篇文章很好。
文学是我的爱好。
文化差异很大。
他擅长文科科目。
我们需要文明交流。
这篇文章文笔优美。