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日文 (Rì wén) — Japanese language

Definition

Literally 'Japanese script/words' — refers to the Japanese language. Often interchangeable with 日语, but 日文 emphasizes the written language and is common on book covers and titles.

noun
Japanese language

Examples

  • 日文。
    Tā xué xí le sān nián Rì wén.
    He studied Japanese for three years.
  • 日文。
    Tā Rì wén shuō dé hěn hǎo.
    She speaks Japanese very well.
  • 日文。
    Wǒ zhèng zài kàn yì běn Rì wén shū.
    I'm reading a Japanese-language book.

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.

日rìJapan
文wénlanguage

日 Japan and 文 writing or language combine to mean the language of Japan.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

日 originally drew the sun. A mark was added inside to tell it apart from similar square shapes.

Open 日 →

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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