zhuǎnwén

转文

Word · VerbTraditional轉文

use literary jargon; speak affectedly

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

1 sense · 3 examples
1.

verb

to use literary or classical Chinese terms instead of colloquial language when speaking, often to show off one's learning

Often carries a slightly negative connotation of pedantry or pretension. Commonly used with the northern dialectal variant '转文儿' (zhuǎn wénr).

Shuō说
dà大
bái白
huà话
jiù就
kě可
yǐ以
le了
 ,
hé何
bì必
zhuǎn转
wén文
ne呢
 !

Just speak plain language—why use literary jargon to show off?

Tā他
píng平
shí时
shuō说
huà话
zǒng总
ài爱
zhuǎn转
wén文
 ,
xiǎn显
de得
hěn很
yǒu有
xué学
wen问
shì似
de的
 。

He always likes to use literary language when speaking normally, as if showing off his learning.

Show 1 more example
Xiě写
wén文
zhāng章
yào要
tōng通
sú俗
yì易
dǒng懂
 ,
bù不
yào要
kè刻
yì意
zhuǎn转
wén文
 。

Articles should be easy to understand; don't deliberately use literary jargon.