Definitions

1. Noun:
   • Prose and verse; literature (in the sense of written artistic works, encompassing both prose and poetry): A compound noun referring to the two main forms of written literature. It is a general term for literary works.
   • (Dialectal, archaic) Documents; official correspondence; paperwork: An older, dialectal meaning referring to official documents or clerical work.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Prose and verse):
  • Anh ấy say mê nghiên cứu văn thơ trung đại. (He is passionate about studying medieval prose and verse.)
  • Cuộc thi khuyến khích sáng tác văn thơ cho thiếu nhi. (The contest encourages the creation of literary works for children.)
• Noun (Documents - archaic/dialectal):
  • Ông ấy phụ trách công tác văn thơ của phòng. (He is in charge of the documentation/clerical work for the office.) (This usage is now rare.)

Advanced Usage

• The term văn thơ is often used in a broad, collective sense to talk about the field or body of literature. It emphasizes the artistic and creative aspect of writing.
  • Đời sống văn thơ nước nhà rất phong phú. (The national literary scene is very rich.)

Variants and Related Words

• Văn học (n): Literature (a more formal and academic term encompassing all literary genres and their study).
• Tác phẩm văn học (n): Literary work.
• Văn chương (n): Literature, belles-lettres (often implies a focus on artistic quality and style).
• Văn thư (n): Documentation, clerical work (the standard modern term for the archaic second meaning of ).

Synonyms

• Văn chương: Literature.
• Tác phẩm: Works, compositions.

Notes on Meaning

• The primary and most common meaning in modern Vietnamese is "prose and verse" or "literature".
• The secondary meaning related to "documents" is considered dialectal and largely obsolete in standard usage. The correct modern term for this concept is văn thư.

noun

1. prose and verse