Chinese–EnglishWith examples

文明

wén míng · wen ming

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 3Old HSK 5Measure word: 个 gè

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. civilized
  2. civilization
  3. culture
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In a conversation

0:17 cartoon

Queue politely

  1. Dengdeng

    前面(qiánmiàn)的(de)牌子(páizi)上(shàng)写着(xiězhe)什么(shénme)？

    What does the sign up front say?

  2. Qiqi

    上面(shàngmiàn)写着(xiězhe)请(qǐng)文明(wénmíng)排队(páiduì)，不要(bùyào)挤(jǐ)。

    It says please queue politely and do not push.

  3. Liangliang

    我们(wǒmen)要(yào)做(zuò)个(gè)文明(wénmíng)的(de)人(rén)。

    We should be civil people.

  4. Dengdeng

    好(hǎo)，那(nà)请(qǐng)文明(wénmíng)地(de)让(ràng)我(wǒ)先(xiān)买(mǎi)。

    OK, then please politely let me buy first.

  5. Qiqi

    你(nǐ)看(kàn)，队(duì)在(zài)那边(nàbian)，那是(nàshi)队尾(duìwěi)。

    Look, the line is over there. That is the end of it.

Tap a word for its meaning in this line. The characters’ voices are computer-generated.

In a sentence

2 examples
01

望(wàng)远(yuǎn)镜(jìng)为(wèi)我(wǒ)们(men)的(de)文(wén)明(míng)开(kāi)启(qǐ)了(le)一(yì)种(zhǒng)全(quán)新(xīn)的(de)视(shì)角(jiǎo)来(lái)观(guān)察(chá)宇(yǔ)宙(zhòu)。

The telescope has opened a new eye onto the cosmos that has been transformative for our civilization.

Tatoeba: Chinese by WilsonWong · English by Hybrid · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

在(zài)公(gōng)共(gòng)场(chǎng)所(suǒ)大(dà)声(shēng)喧(xuān)哗(huá)是(shì)不(bù)文(wén)明(míng)的(de)行(xíng)为(wéi)。

Making loud noises in public places is uncivilized behavior.

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How to write

Stroke order & practice

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

The characters

Explore individually
文
wén

language; culture

明
míng

bright; opposite: dark 暗 (àn)

Individual character meanings do not always explain the meaning of a whole word.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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