Dong Chinese dictionary

wén

writing

Pictograph of a man with writing (possibly a tattoo) on his chest. In later scripts the writing was abbreviated to a dot or omitted altogether.

Evolution

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze script

Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Regular script

Modern

Definitions

wén

literature, culture, writing; language; culture; writing; formal; literary; gentle; (old) classifier for coins; Kangxi radical 67

Wén

surname Wen

Most common words with 文

Component uses

Meaning component in 10 characters (2 verified)

Sound component in 12 characters (2 verified)

Simplified component in 2 characters (2 verified)

Sources

季旭昇《說文新證》p.706