文体 (wén tǐ) — literary style, form, or genre; abbreviation for cultural entertainment and sports (文化体育)

Definition

文 has two unrelated senses: 'literary style/genre' (文体活动 = cultural activities), and as an abbreviation for 文化体育 (cultural entertainment and sports). Pick the meaning from context.

noun
literary styleformor genreabbreviation for cultural entertainment and sports (文化体育)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 文体，。
    Zhè piān xiǎo shuō de wén tǐ hěn dú tè, róng hé le gǔ diǎn hé xiàn dài fēng gé.
    The literary style of this novel is very unique, blending classical and modern elements.
  • 文体，。
    Xué xiào měi nián dōu huì jǔ bàn fēng fù de wén tǐ huó dòng, bǐ rú yùn dòng huì hé cái yì biǎo yǎn.
    The school holds a variety of cultural and sports activities every year, such as sports meets and talent shows.
  • ，文体。
    Tā bù jǐn shàn cháng shī gē, hái jīng tōng gè zhǒng gǔ dài wén tǐ.
    He is not only good at poetry but also well-versed in various ancient literary forms.

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.

文wénwriting
体tǐform

“文” writing and “体” form combine to mean literary style or genre.

Characters in this word

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 體; 体 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
骨骨gǔbone
Sound part声符shēngfú
豊
豊lǐ體tǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 體 pairs 骨 (bone) with 豊 as a sound part; this note is about 體, not about the parts of 体.

Open 体 →

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