The word **文盲 (wénmáng)**, meaning "illiterate," is a compound formed through metaphorical combination: the first character **文** means "writing" or "literature" (representing literacy and culture), while the second character **盲** means "blind" (denoting an inability to see). Thus, the term literally translates to "culturally blind" or "blind to writing," vividly conceptualizing illiteracy not as a mere lack of skill but as a kind of figurative blindness to the world of written text and knowledge.