Chinese

Noun

文言

1. Literary Chinese; literary language used from the fall of the Han dynasty (220 CE) to the early 20th century.
2. Classical Chinese; literary language used in old China

Usage notes

Careful usage distinguishes between 文言 (literary writing, used from the fall of the Han dynasty (220 CE) to the early 20th century) on the one hand, and 古文 ‎(“Ancient Writing”) or, formally, 古典漢語 ‎(“Classical Chinese”) (Classical Chinese, used from the Zhou Dynasty (1045 BCE) (especially the Spring and Autumn Period), through to the end of the Han Dynasty (220 CE)) on the other. However, the terms are often conflated.

Derived terms

Japanese

Noun

文言 ‎(hiragana ぶんげん, romaji bungen)
文言 ‎(hiragana もんごん, romaji mongon)

1. wording (esp. of written text); classical Chinese literary style; traditional written Chinese
2. Classical Chinese

Korean

Noun

文言 • ‎(muneon) ‎(hangeul 문언)

1. Hanja form^? of 문언, “Classical Chinese wording”.

Vietnamese

Noun

文言

1. Hán tự form of văn ngôn, “Classical Chinese wording”