图文 (tú wén) — pictures and text (combined content); (linguistics) pictographic writing; logographic script

Definition

图文 literally pairs 图 ('pictures') + 文 ('text/writing') and means 'pictures and text together' — as in a magazine or book layout. In linguistics it labels a pictographic or logographic writing system (e.g. ancient Chinese characters).

noun
pictures and text (combined content)(linguistics) pictographic writinglogographic script
Easily confused

Examples

  • 图文。
    Zhè běn zá zhì de tú wén nèi róng fēi cháng fēng fù.
    The pictures and text content of this magazine are very rich.
  • 图文，。
    Zhè běn shū tú wén bìng mào, hěn shì hé hái zi yuè dú.
    This book has excellent pictures and text; it's very suitable for children.
  • 图文。
    Gǔ dài hàn zì shì yì zhǒng tú wén wén zì xì tǒng.
    Ancient Chinese characters are a pictographic writing system.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

图túpicture
文wéntext

“图” contributes pictures and “文” contributes text, so the word means picture-and-text content.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 圖; 图 is its simplified writing.

  • 囗囗wéiwalled city
  • 啚啚bǐ

The traditional form 圖 pairs 囗, a walled city, with 啚, an early form meaning remote areas or territory. The simplified 图 is a later abbreviation.

Open 图 →

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 →

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