Definition

1. Noun:
   • Chinese literature; Chinese texts: Refers to literary works, documents, or texts written in Classical Chinese (Hán văn), which was the formal written language used in Vietnam for centuries before the widespread adoption of the modern Vietnamese script (chữ Quốc ngữ).
   • The study of Classical Chinese: Can also refer to the academic discipline of studying Classical Chinese texts and literature.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Ông ấy là một học giả nghiên cứu về hán văn. (He is a scholar who researches Chinese literature.)
  • Nhiều văn bản cổ của Việt Nam được viết bằng hán văn. (Many ancient Vietnamese documents were written in Classical Chinese.)

Advanced Usage

• "cổ văn hán văn": ancient Chinese literature/texts.

  • Anh ta đang dịch một tác phẩm cổ văn hán văn. (He is translating an ancient Chinese literary work.)

• "tinh thông hán văn": to be proficient in Classical Chinese.

  • Để đọc được các bia ký cổ, cần phải tinh thông hán văn. (To read ancient steles, one must be proficient in Classical Chinese.)

Variants and Related Words

• Hán Nôm (n): A compound term referring to the combined study or script system of Classical Chinese (Hán) and the former Vietnamese writing system based on Chinese characters (Chữ Nôm).

  • Khoa Hán Nôm tại trường đại học. (The Hán Nôm Department at the university.)

• Văn ngôn (n): Literary Chinese; often used synonymously with "hán văn" to refer to Classical Chinese as a written language.

  • Tác phẩm được viết bằng văn ngôn. (The work is written in Literary Chinese.)

Synonyms

• Văn chương Trung Hoa: Chinese literature (more general, can include modern literature).
• Chữ Hán: Chinese characters; the script itself (focuses on the writing system rather than the literary content).

Related Phrases

• Đọc hán văn: to read Classical Chinese.

  • Cụ già ấy vẫn có thể đọc hán văn rất tốt. (That elderly gentleman can still read Classical Chinese very well.)

• Dịch hán văn: to translate Classical Chinese.

  • Công việc của cô ấy là dịch hán văn sang tiếng Việt hiện đại. (Her job is to translate Classical Chinese into modern Vietnamese.)

1. Chinese literature