Meaning
作文 refers to written compositions or essays, commonly used in educational contexts. As a noun, it means an essay or piece of writing. As a verb, it means to compose or write an essay. This is one of the most common terms students encounter when talking about writing assignments in school.
Usage
作文 is primarily used in academic and educational settings, especially at elementary through high school levels. It typically refers to structured writing assignments where students practice expressing ideas in written Chinese. The term is neutral in register and extremely common in conversations about homework and exams.
Examples
- 01老师让我们写一篇关于环保的作文。.The teacher asked us to write an essay about environmental protection.
- 02他的作文写得很好，得了满分。, .His essay was written very well and received full marks.
Characters
Measure words
- 篇一篇作文
- 份一份作文
Common collocations
- 写作文to write an essay
- 作文题目essay topic/title
- 作文比赛essay competition
- 命题作文essay with assigned topic
Origin
The compound literally means 'to make writing' or 'made writing,' reflecting its dual function as both the act of composing and the resulting composition itself.