Classical Chinese

English

Proper noun

Classical Chinese

1. The written Chinese language used from the Zhou Dynasty (1045 B.C.E.) (especially the Spring and Autumn Period), through to the end of the Han Dynasty (220 C.E.). In Chinese, 古文 (gǔwén, “Ancient Writing”) or, formally, 古典漢語／古典汉语 (“Classical Chinese”). The language of many classics of Chinese literature.
2. The written Chinese language used from the Zhou Dynasty (1045 B.C.E.) to the early 20th century.

Usage notes

Sinologists distinguish between the language as used in antiquity (Classical Chinese), and the language used after the fall of the Han Dynasty (Literary Chinese) – in Chinese, 文言 (wényán, “literary writing”) – similar to the distinction between Classical Latin and Late Latin. In casual usage, these may be conflated.

Synonyms

• Literary Chinese

Translations

language

• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 文言文 (man⁴ jin⁴ man^4-2), 文言 (man⁴ jin⁴), 古文 (gu² man^4-2)

  Hokkien: 文言 (zh-min-nan) (bûn-giân)

  Mandarin: 文言文 (zh) (Wényánwén), 文言 (zh) (Wényán), 古文 (zh) (Gǔwén), 漢文／汉文 (zh) (Hànwén)

• Finnish: klassinen kiina
• French: chinois classique (fr) m
• German: klassisches Chinesisch n
• Indonesian: bahasa Tionghoa Klasik
• Italian: cinese classico m, lingua cinese classica f
• Japanese: 漢文 (ja) (かんぶん, Kanbun)
• Korean: 한문(漢文) (ko) (Hanmun)
• Malay: bahasa Cina Klasik
• Portuguese: chinês clássico (pt) m
• Russian: вэнья́нь m (vɛnʹjánʹ), класси́ческий кита́йский язы́к m (klassíčeskij kitájskij jazýk)
• Spanish: chino clásico
• Swedish: klassisk kinesiska
• Vietnamese: Hán văn (vi) (漢文), cổ văn (古文)