文 meaning and stroke order
Language; culture; writing
How to write 文, stroke by stroke
4 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Meaning of 文
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- language
- culture
- writing
- formal
- literary
- gentle
How 文 is built
Pictographic character. A tattooed chest, representing writing.
How to remember 文
文 (wén) is a picture of a person with a pattern marked on the chest: 亠 is the head and shoulders, and 乂 is the crossed design below. Marks on a body became marks on paper, so 文 means writing and, by extension, culture.
文 often appears in words for languages and written texts, such as 中文 (Zhōngwén) Chinese and 英文 (Yīngwén) English. It also forms bigger ideas like 文化 (wénhuà) culture and 文明 (wénmíng) civilization. Example: 我在学中文。(Wǒ zài xué Zhōngwén.) I am learning Chinese.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 文 with 父 (fù, father), which has two dots on top instead of the 亠 lid. Also keep the second tone in wén, and do not confuse it with 问 (wèn, to ask), which is fourth tone.
Common words with 文
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 中文 | Zhōngwén | Chinese language | HSK 1 |
| 课文 | kèwén | text | HSK 1 |
| 英文 | Yīngwén | English (language) | HSK 2 |
| 作文 | zuòwén | to write an essay; composition (student essay) | HSK 2 |
| 文件 | wénjiàn | document; file | HSK 3 |
| 文化 | wénhuà | culture; civilization | HSK 3 |
| 文章 | wénzhāng | article; essay | HSK 3 |
| 文明 | wénmíng | civilized; civilization | HSK 3 |
| 文字 | wénzì | character; script | HSK 3 |
| 文学 | wénxué | literature | HSK 3 |
| 外文 | wàiwén | foreign language (written) | HSK 3 |
| 论文 | lùnwén | paper; treatise | HSK 4 |
| 天文 | tiānwén | astronomy | HSK 5 |
| 文艺 | wényì | literature and art | HSK 5 |
文 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 文
Learning 文 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 文
How many strokes are in 文?
文 is written with 4 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 文 mean?
文 (wén) means language; culture; writing. A common word with it is 中文 (Zhōngwén), meaning "Chinese language".
How do you pronounce 文?
文 is pronounced wén, in the second tone (rising).
Is 文 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 文 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What is the difference between 中文 and 汉语?
Both mean Chinese. 中文 (Zhōngwén) is common in everyday speech and often suggests the written language, while 汉语 (Hànyǔ) is a bit more formal and focuses on the spoken language, as in textbooks and exams.
Does 文 describe people too?
Yes. 文 can mean gentle or refined, as in 斯文 (sīwén), refined and polite. It is often contrasted with 武 (wǔ), martial, in pairs like 文武 (wénwǔ), civil and military.