成文 (chéng wén) — (noun) written text; established written docume… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Refers to something codified or put into written form — used in legal/formal contexts like 成文法 ("written law") versus customary/unwritten practice (不成文). Not a casual word for "text."

noun

written textestablished written document

Examples

成文，。
Zhè xiē fǎ lǜ dōu shì chéng wén guī dìng, bì xū zūn shǒu.
These laws are all written regulations and must be followed.
成文。
chéng wén Guī zé hé bù chéng wén xí sú tóng yàng zhòng yào.
Written rules and unwritten customs are equally important.
成文，。
Zhè fèn bào gào yǐ chéng wéi chéng wén wén jiàn, gòng nèi bù cān kǎo.
This report has become a written document for internal reference.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

成chéngestablished

成 (established) and 文 (text) name an existing written document.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

丁

丁dīng成chéng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

成 puts 戊, a weapon, beside 丁, which gives the sound. The weapon part relates to protection, as in the old sense of city walls.

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The current form 文 shows a man with head, arms, legs, and chest; the tattoo marks on the chest are no longer drawn.

Appears in

Reading & Writing

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