Kanji

What does the kanji 文 mean?

文 means writing, sentence, literature. On'yomi ブン、モン. Kun'yomi ふみ、あや.

Quick facts
On'yomiブン、モン
Kun'yomiふみ、あや
Strokes4
Main radical文
Level (estimated, JLPT framework)N4
On'yomi ブン、モンKun'yomi ふみ、あや
N4 · estimated, JLPT framework4 strokes

writing, sentence, literature

Memory hook

A person in a cap (亠) with arms crossed, a pattern worked across the chest — WRITING, PATTERN.

Stroke order · 4 strokes

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4

Common words

  • 作文さくぶんcomposition, essay
  • 文字もんじcharacter, script (old reading, also seen in 十文字 じゅうもんじ cross shape)
  • 文章ぶんしょうsentence, text, writing

More words with this kanji

  • 文化ぶんかculture
  • 文学ぶんがくliterature
  • 文法ぶんぽうgrammar
  • 文ぶんsentence, writing
  • 文句もんくcomplaint
  • 文明ぶんめいcivilization
  • 注文ちゅうもんorder, request
  • 論文ろんぶんthesis, research paper
  • 文体ぶんたいwriting style
  • 文献ぶんけんliterature, reference documents
  • 文脈ぶんみゃくcontext (of a text)
  • 文芸ぶんげいliterature and the arts
  • 英文えいぶんEnglish text, sentence
  • 文房具ぶんぼうぐstationery
  • 人文科学じんぶんかがくhumanities, human sciences
  • 原文げんぶんoriginal text
  • 和文わぶんJapanese-language text
  • 文書ぶんしょdocument
  • 文語ぶんごliterary language, classical written Japanese
  • 本文ほんぶんmain text, body (of a document)
  • 文化財ぶんかざいcultural property, cultural asset

Look up another word →

Data sources and licences

English meanings, On/Kun readings, stroke counts: KANJIDIC2 — Electronic Dictionary Research and Development Group (EDRDG), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Components: KRADFILE (EDRDG). Stroke order: KanjiVG (Ulrich Apel), licensed CC BY-SA 3.0. Mnemonics written by GoMe.

Voice: VOICEVOX Nemo.

N5–N1 levels on this page are estimates based on the JLPT framework, drawn from community benchmarks. GoMe Nihongo is not affiliated with the Japan Foundation or JEES, which administer the JLPT.