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文 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
文wénlanguageHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 文, rank #2251, Very Hard
文wéncultureHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 文, rank #2251, Very Hard
文wénwritingHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 文, rank #2251, Very Hard
文wénformalHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 文, rank #2251, Very Hard
文wénliteraryHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 文, rank #2251, Very Hard
文wéngentleHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 文, rank #2251, Very Hard
文wén(old) classifier for coinsHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 文, rank #2251, Very Hard
文wénKangxi radical 118HSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 文, rank #2251, Very Hard
文wénculture, literature, writingHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 文, rank #2251, Very Hard
文wénKangxi radical 67HSK 7, unknown, 4 strokes, radical 文, rank #2251, Very Hard
文wénsurname WenHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 文, rank #2251, Very Hard
wén(Wen2)wen T2
  1. 1language
  2. 2culture
Also a Chinese surname, Wen — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

文wén(Wen2)

The character 文 (wén) primarily refers to 'language,' 'writing,' or 'culture.' It is often used in contexts relating to literature and the arts, suggesting a sense of formality or gentleness. Additionally, it serves as an old classifier for coins, indicating its historical significance in transactions and commerce.

Strokes4Radical文Frequency#2251DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, 文 is deeply associated with the Confucian ideal of cultivating one's character through literature and education, reflecting the high value placed on scholarly pursuits.

Memory tip

Imagine a gentle scholar (文) writing beautifully on a scroll. The character resembles a person with a flowing robe, pen in hand, embodying the essence of culture and literature. This visual connects the character's form to its meaning, emphasizing the art of writing.

Meanings of 文

wén(Wen2)
1language
2culture
Exercise 1 of 3

By ear

Play it, then pick what 文 means.

About 文

文Simplified
4Strokes
文Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#2251Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 文

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Podcast: 文

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AI study notes for 文

Quick Contrast

文 (wén) vs 文字 (wénzì) — use 文 for a broader concept of language or culture, while 文字 specifically refers to written characters or script.

Usage Notes

文 (wén) is often used in formal contexts, so avoid using it in casual or colloquial settings. Common collocations include 文化 (wénhuà, culture) and 文学 (wénxué, literature). Be mindful of the tone; it should always be pronounced with the second tone (wén).

HSK Study Tips

While 文 is not specifically listed in HSK vocabulary, it connects to HSK Level 3 words such as 文化 (wénhuà) and 文学 (wénxué). Students should focus on recognizing its usage in compound words and understanding its broader cultural implications.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 文 with the character 文明 (wénmíng, civilization), mistakenly using it as a standalone term for 'civilization.' Always use the full term when referring to civilization to avoid ambiguity.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 文

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Etymology of 文

Formation typePictographic 象形
六书 ClassificationPictograph (象形字)~4% of characters
Explanation

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.

Memory hint

A tattooed chest, representing writing

Learn more about Pictograph (象形字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 文?

Decomposition of 文

IDS Structure⿱亠乂
文Full character
=
亠tou2
top
乂yi4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 文?

How to say language in Chinese

“language” in Chinese is文wén

The character 文 (wén) primarily refers to 'language,' 'writing,' or 'culture.' It is often used in contexts relating to literature and the arts, suggesting a sense of formality or gentleness. Additionally, it serves as an old classifier for coins, indicating its historical significance in transactions and commerce.

When to use 文

文 (wén) is often used in formal contexts, so avoid using it in casual or colloquial settings. Common collocations include 文化 (wénhuà, culture) and 文学 (wénxué, literature). Be mindful of the tone; it should always be pronounced with the second tone (wén).

文 or something close to it

文 (wén) vs 文字 (wénzì) — use 文 for a broader concept of language or culture, while 文字 specifically refers to written characters or script.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 文 with the character 文明 (wénmíng, civilization), mistakenly using it as a standalone term for 'civilization.' Always use the full term when referring to civilization to avoid ambiguity.

Write 文

文

Practice writing 文 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar patterns of 文

文 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 11 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.

Related grammar lessons6
是…的 emphasis是 + [N] + 的
HSK 3

Used to emphasize the subject or object in a sentence.

这篇文章是文化的。

Zhè piān wénzhāng shì wénhuà de.

This article is about culture.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

我们学中____。

We study Chinese.

Common confusions with 文

文vs问
wèn

Similar sound but different meaning.

文vs闻
wén

Same pronunciation but different meanings.

Exercise 1 of 1

Which one

Which one means “language”?

or

Usage Notes for 文

Formal and Literary Usageregister

The character '文' is often used in formal and literary contexts.

1

在文学中，文的使用非常重要。

In literature, the use of '文' is very important.

Exercise 1 of 1

Get it right

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

在____学中，文的使用非常重要。

In literature, the use of '文' is very important.

Example sentences for 文 (16)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我不该把我的公文包和相机包留在那儿无人看管。

wǒ bù gāi bǎ wǒ de gōng wén bāo hé xiàngjī bāo liú zài nàr wú rén kānguǎn。

I should not leave my briefcase and camera bag unguarded.
2
他对于法国、德国和荷兰的文学了如指掌。

tā duìyú fǎ guó、 dé guó hé hé lán de wénxué le rú zhǐ zhǎng。

He was well acquainted with the literature of France, Germany and Holland.
3
坎贝尔公司的总裁退休后，麦戈文被选定为继任者。

kǎn bèi ěr gōngsī de zǒngcái tuìxiū hòu， mài gē wén bèi xuǎn dìng wèi jì rèn zhě。

When the chairman of Campbell's retired, McGovern was named as his successor.
4
我打电话是要谈谈你写的有关“偏见”的系列文章。

wǒ dǎdiànhuà shì yào tán tán nǐ xiě de yǒuguān“ piānjiàn” de xìliè wénzhāng。

I'm calling in reference to your series on prejudice.
5
你可以在页边空白处添加评论使文件变得富有个性。

nǐ kěyǐ zài yè biān kòngbái chǔ tiānjiā pínglùn shǐ wénjiàn biàn de fùyǒu gèxìng。

You can individualize a document by adding comments in the margins.
6
你可以把这些文字直接叠印在你的一张照片上。

nǐ kěyǐ bǎ zhèxiē wénzì zhíjiē dié yìn zài nǐ de yī zhāng zhàopiàn shàng。

You can superimpose the lettering directly onto one of your pictures.
7
早期的天文学家认为我们的星球是宇宙的中心。

zǎoqī de tiānwén xué jiā rènwéi wǒmen de xīngqiú shì yǔzhòu de zhōngxīn。

Early astronomers thought that our planet was the centre of the universe.
8
查看正在讨论的这段文字前面的信息。

chákàn zhèngzài tǎolùn de zhè duàn wénzì qiánmiàn de xìnxī。

Look at the information that precedes the paragraph in question.
9
非常感谢您允许我们复印这篇文章。

fēicháng gǎnxiè nín yǔnxǔ wǒmen fùyìn zhè piān wénzhāng。

We are grateful to you for permission to reproduce this article.
10
许多长篇大论的文章，不，应该说是整部整部的书都是关于这件事的。

xǔduō cháng piān dà lún de wénzhāng， bù， yīnggāi shuō shì zhěng bù zhěng bù de shū dōushì guānyú zhè jiàn shì de。

Long essays, nay, whole books have been written on this.
11
文先生是我们公司的总经理，他非常有领导能力。

Wén xiānshēng shì wǒmen gōngsī de zǒng jīnglǐ, tā fēicháng yǒu lǐngdǎo nénglì.

Mr. Wen is our company's general manager; he has excellent leadership skills.
12
文女士喜欢在周末去博物馆，她对历史很感兴趣。

Wén nǚshì xǐhuan zài zhōumò qù bówùguǎn, tā duì lìshǐ hěn gǎn xìngqù.

Ms. Wen likes to visit museums on weekends; she is very interested in history.
13
文教授在大学教授现代文学，他的课程非常受欢迎。

Wén jiàoshòu zài dàxué jiāoshòu xiàndài wénxué, tā de kèchéng fēicháng shòu huānyíng.

Professor Wen teaches modern literature at the university, and his courses are very popular.
14
文医生在这家医院工作了二十年，赢得了患者的信任。

Wén yīshēng zài zhè jiā yīyuàn gōngzuò le èrshí nián, yíngdé le huànzhě de xìnrèn.

Doctor Wen has worked at this hospital for twenty years and has earned the trust of the patients.
15
文警官调查此案已有数月，他对案件细节了如指掌。

Wén jǐngguān diàochá cǐ àn yǐ yǒu shù yuè, tā duì ànjiàn xìjié liǎorúzhǐzhǎng.

Officer Wen has been investigating this case for several months and is very familiar with the details.
16
文律师在法律界享有盛誉，他的辩护技巧无可挑剔。

Wén lǜshī zài fǎlǜ jiè xiǎngyǒu shèngyù, tā de biànhù jìqiǎo wúkětiāotì.

Lawyer Wen is highly respected in the legal community, and his defense skills are impeccable.

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Cultural Notes for 文

💡Did you know?

The character 文 not only means 'writing' but also represents 'culture' in Chinese, highlighting the deep connection between language and societal values.

Word Family of 文

Compounds52
这zhèthis
纹wénline
斑bānspot
坟féngrave
刘liúto kill, to destroy; surname
斐fěigraceful, elegant, beautiful
虔qiánreverent, devout
蚊wénmosquito, gnat
紊wěninvolved
吝lìnstingy
斋zhāito fast, to abstain; a vegetarian diet
闵mǐnto mourn, to grieve; to incite, to urge on
雯wéncloud patterns; storm clouds
斌bīnornamental, refined
汶wèna river in Shandong province
斓lánmulticolored
玟míngem, jade-like stone
旻mín
紋wénline, stripe; pattern, decoration; wrinkle
炆wénto simmer, to cook over a slow fire
対duì
妏wèn
忞mínto psych up; to steel one's nerves
抆wěn
斉qí
斎zhāi
斒bān
旼mín
珳wén
蚉wén
伩xìn
呅méi
彣wén
忟wěn
斈xué
斊qí
斍jué
斏láng
斕lánmulticolored
斖wěi
盿mín
砇mín
芠wén
螡wén
螤zhōng
鈫qín
閔mǐnto mourn, to grieve; to incite, to urge on
馼wén
魰wén
鳼wén
鴍wén
鼤wén
Words containing this character20
文化wénhuàculture
文件wénjiàndocument
文wénlanguage
文章wénzhāngarticle
文明wénmíngcivilized
文学wénxuéliterature文學
文字wénzìcharacter
论文lùnwénpaper論文
凯文kǎiwénKevin (person name)凱文
中文zhōngwénChinese language
文艺wényìliterature and art文藝
英文yīngwénEnglish (language)
文物wénwùcultural relic
博文bówénblog article
原文yuánwénoriginal text
埃文āiwénEvan
本文běnwénthis text
文献wénxiàndocument文獻
欧文ōuwénOwen (name)歐文
文书wénshūdocument文書
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 文

What does 这 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 文

Yes, 文 (Wén) is a relatively common surname in China. It ranks among the top 100 surnames and is associated with various notable historical figures and modern personalities.

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