yìwén: 译文 - Translated text, Translation

• Keywords: yìwén, 译文, what does yiwen mean, Chinese for translation, translated text in Chinese, translation in Chinese, fanyi vs yiwen, Chinese grammar, Chinese vocabulary, HSK 5
• Summary: Learn the meaning and usage of 译文 (yìwén), the essential Chinese noun for a “translated text” or “translation”. This page breaks down the difference between 译文 (yìwén) (the final product) and 翻译 (fānyì) (the act of translating), providing clear examples, cultural context, and common mistakes to help you master this key HSK 5 vocabulary word for discussing books, documents, and subtitles in Mandarin Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): yìwén
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: The translated text or version of a written work.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 译文 (yìwén) as the result or the physical product of translation. If someone translates a book, the process is called `翻译 (fānyì)`, but the finished Chinese book you hold in your hands is the `译文`. It refers specifically to the written words, the document, the subtitles, or the article that has been translated from another language.

• 译 (yì): This character means “to translate” or “to interpret.” It's composed of the speech radical 言 (yán) on the left, signifying language or words, and 睪 (yì) on the right, which acts as a phonetic component. You can think of it as the process of carefully selecting and changing words (言).
• 文 (wén): This character means “text,” “writing,” “language,” or “culture.” It's one of the most fundamental characters, originally depicting a person with patterns on their chest, representing culture, script, and literature.
• When combined, 译文 (yìwén) literally means “translated (译) text (文),” which perfectly captures its meaning as the written output of a translation.

• While not a deeply philosophical term like `关系 (guānxi)`, 译文 (yìwén) holds significant cultural weight in the context of China's relationship with the world. For centuries, translation has been the primary bridge for introducing foreign ideas—from Buddhist sutras in ancient times to Western science, philosophy, and literature in the modern era.
• The quality of a 译文 is a frequent topic of discussion among Chinese intellectuals and readers. A good 译文 is praised for achieving “信达雅 (xìn dá yǎ)“—faithfulness, expressiveness, and elegance. This standard, proposed by the famous translator Yan Fu (严复), highlights a key cultural difference. While Western culture might sometimes celebrate a translator's creative liberty, the traditional Chinese perspective places immense value on the 译文's fidelity and elegance in conveying the spirit of the `原文 (yuánwén)`, the original text. The 译文 is seen less as a new creation and more as a perfect, transparent window to the original.

• 译文 (yìwén) is a standard, neutral term used in everyday life, academia, and business. It's the word you use when you're talking about the concrete text.
• In Daily Conversation: You might ask a friend, “这本小说的译文好不好?” (Is the translation of this novel any good?).
• On Book Covers: The cover of a translated book like “Harry Potter” will often state who the original author is (作者) and who translated it (译者), with the book itself being the 译文.
• In Business/Academics: You would request the “英文译文” (English translation/version) of a Chinese contract or research paper.
• On Social Media: People might share a beautifully translated poem and praise its 译文 for capturing the original's charm.

The term is neither formal nor informal and is the most precise word for referring to a piece of translated writing.

• Example 1:
  • 这份文件的译文明天必须完成。
  • Pinyin: Zhè fèn wénjiàn de yìwén míngtiān bìxū wánchéng.
  • English: The translation of this document must be finished by tomorrow.
  • Analysis: Here, 译文 refers to the specific, tangible translated document that is the result of the work.
• Example 2:
  • 我觉得这本书的中文译文比原文还优美。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ juéde zhè běn shū de Zhōngwén yìwén bǐ yuánwén hái yōuměi.
  • English: I think the Chinese translation of this book is even more beautiful than the original.
  • Analysis: This is a common way to praise the quality of a literary translation, focusing on the final text (译文).
• Example 3:
  • 你能帮我看一下这句译文通顺吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bāng wǒ kàn yīxià zhè jù yìwén tōngshùn ma?
  • English: Can you help me see if this translated sentence is smooth and coherent?
  • Analysis: This shows 译文 can refer to a small unit of text, like a single sentence, not just a whole book.
• Example 4:
  • 很多外国电影的译文字幕质量不高。
  • Pinyin: Hěnduō wàiguó diànyǐng de yìwén zìmù zhìliàng bù gāo.
  • English: The quality of the translated subtitles for many foreign films is not high.
  • Analysis: This specifies the type of translated text—subtitles (`字幕`). `译文字幕` is a slightly redundant but clear way to say “translated subtitles.”
• Example 5:
  • 他正在阅读《哈利·波特》的译文版。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhèngzài yuèdú “Hālì Bōtè” de yìwén bǎn.
  • English: He is reading the translated version of “Harry Potter.”
  • Analysis: The phrase `译文版 (yìwén bǎn)` means “translated version/edition,” which you'll often see in discussions about books.
• Example 6:
  • 这首诗的译文失去了原作的韵味。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shǒu shī de yìwén shīqùle yuánzuò de yùnwèi.
  • English: The translation of this poem has lost the charm of the original work.
  • Analysis: A common critique of a translation, focusing on the shortcomings of the final text (译文).
• Example 7:
  • 我们需要一份合同的正式译文。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào yī fèn hétong de zhèngshì yìwén.
  • English: We need a formal/official translation of the contract.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates its use in a formal, business context. The 译文 here is a legal document.
• Example 8:
  • 如果你看不懂原文，可以先参考译文。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ kàn bù dǒng yuánwén, kěyǐ xiān cānkǎo yìwén.
  • English: If you can't understand the original text, you can consult the translation first.
  • Analysis: This sentence directly contrasts the 译文 (translated text) with the `原文 (yuánwén)` (original text).
• Example 9:
  • 老师要求我们比较三个不同的译文。
  • Pinyin: Lǎoshī yāoqiú wǒmen bǐjiào sān gè bùtóng de yìwén.
  • English: The teacher asked us to compare three different translations.
  • Analysis: This highlights that there can be multiple translated versions (译文) of a single original work.
• Example 10:
  • 这篇科技文章的译文充满了专业术语。
  • Pinyin: Zhè piān kējì wénzhāng de yìwén chōngmǎnle zhuānyè shùyǔ.
  • English: The translation of this technical article is full of jargon.
  • Analysis: Shows the use of 译文 in a specialized, technical field.

• The most common mistake for learners is confusing 译文 (yìwén) with 翻译 (fānyì). They are not interchangeable.
• 翻译 (fānyì):
  • 1. Verb: “to translate.” (e.g., 我在翻译一本书 - I am translating a book.)
  • 2. Noun: The act, process, or field of translation. (e.g., 翻译工作很难 - Translation work is hard.)
  • 3. Noun: A translator/interpreter. (e.g., 他是一名翻译 - He is a translator.)
• 译文 (yìwén):
  • 1. Noun ONLY: The specific, final, written product of a translation. (e.g., 这是书的译文 - This is the book's translation.)
• Incorrect vs. Correct Examples:
  • Incorrect: 你能帮我译文这个句子吗？(Can you help me translated-text this sentence?)
  • Why it's wrong: 译文 is a noun, not a verb. You cannot “yìwén” something.
  • Correct: 你能帮我翻译这个句子吗？(Can you help me translate this sentence?)
  • Incorrect: 他的工作是译文。(His job is translated-text.)
  • Why it's wrong: His job is the *act* of translation or the *role* of a translator, not the physical text itself.
  • Correct: 他的工作是翻译。(His job is translation.)
  • Correct: 他是一名翻译。(He is a translator.)

In short: You 翻译 (fānyì) a document to produce a 译文 (yìwén).

• 翻译 (fānyì) - The verb “to translate,” the field of “translation,” or the person “a translator.” The process that creates a 译文.
• 原文 (yuánwén) - The original text. The direct opposite of 译文.
• 直译 (zhíyì) - A direct or literal translation. This describes the *style* of a 译文.
• 意译 (yìyì) - A free or semantic translation (lit. “meaning translation”). This describes a different *style* of a 译文 that focuses on conveying the spirit rather than the exact words.
• 笔译 (bǐyì) - Written translation (the process). This is the type of work that produces a 译文.
• 口译 (kǒuyì) - Oral interpretation. The spoken counterpart to 笔译; it does not produce a 译文.
• 译者 (yìzhě) - The translator (person). The person who writes the 译文.
• 版本 (bǎnběn) - Version or edition. You might refer to a specific translator's work as “某个译者的版本” (a certain translator's version).
• 字幕 (zìmù) - Subtitles. A common and specific type of 译文.