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和文 (hé wén) — Japanese written language

Definition

和文 refers specifically to the Japanese written language (as opposed to Japanese speech 和语, or Chinese 汉文). It is a literary/technical term used in contrast with 汉文 and 洋文.

noun
Japanese written language

Examples

  • 和文。
    Tā zhèng zài yán jiū rì běn hé wén wén xiàn.
    He is currently studying Japanese written-language literature.
  • 和文，。
    Zhè běn shū de yuán wén shì hé wén, wǒ kàn bù dǒng.
    The original text of this book is in Japanese written language; I can't read it.
  • 和文。
    hé wén De shū xiě xì tǒng bāo kuò hàn zì hé jiǎ míng.
    The writing system of Japanese written language includes kanji and kana.

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.

和héJapanese
文wénwriting

和 Japanese and 文 writing combine to mean Japanese written language.

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
禾
禾hé和hé
Same sound today

和 pairs 禾, which gives the sound, with 口 (mouth), the meaning part; the reference connects this shape to harmony.

Open 和 →

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.

Open 文 →
Appears in
Language

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