外文

• Pinyin: wài wén
• Hanzi breakdown: 外 = 夕 (evening) + 卜 (divination); 文 = pictograph of a person with a patterned chest, meaning 'pattern' and later 'writing'

Meaning

Foreign language; foreign text. Specifically refers to written foreign languages.

Emphasises the written form of foreign languages, as opposed to 外语 which is more general. Often seen in contexts like 外文书店 (foreign language bookstore), 外文资料 (foreign language materials), or 外文翻译 (foreign text translation).

Examples

1. 这家书店卖很多外文书。 This bookstore sells many foreign language books.
2. 他能阅读好几种外文。 He can read several foreign languages.
3. 图书馆里有一个外文阅览室。 The library has a foreign language reading room.

Usage Guide

Context: academic, publishing, libraries

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你会看外文杂志吗？(Can you read foreign language magazines?)
• 这份外文资料需要翻译。(This foreign language document needs to be translated.)

Don't Say

• 我会说外文。(For speaking foreign languages, use 外语 rather than 外文. 外文 emphasises written language, while 外语 covers both spoken and written.)

Origin & History

外 means 'outside' or 'foreign' and 文 means 'writing' or 'literature'. Together they refer to foreign writing or written languages.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal