作文
HSK 4 (exam 2025)HSK 2 (2021)Old HSK 5
作文 (zuòwén) · composition
作文 (zuòwén) means “composition; essay”. It is written with 2 characters: 作 (to make) + 文 (writing). It is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 作文 is built
The characters
作 zuò · to make
What 作 is made of
- 亻rén — person
- 乍zhà — first time
- 丿 — falling stroke
- 下xià — down
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 卜bo — divination
- 一 — horizontal stroke
Origin hint: A person 亻 making something for the first time 乍; 乍 also provides the pronunciation (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
文 wén · writing
What 文 is made of
- 亠tóu — lid
- 丶 — dot
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 乂yì — crossed strokes
- 丿 — falling stroke
Origin hint: A tattooed chest, representing writing (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
我在写作文。Wǒ zài xiě zuòwén.I'm writing an essay.
你的作文写完了吗？Nǐ de zuòwén xiěwán le ma?Have you finished your essay?
Questions about 作文
What does 作文 mean?
作文 (zuòwén) means “composition; essay”.
How do you pronounce 作文?
作文 is pronounced zuòwén.
Which HSK level is 作文?
作文 is in HSK 4 (exam 2025) and HSK 2 (2021) and Old HSK 5.
Related words
- 动作dòngzuòaction
- 工作gōngzuòwork
- 叫作jiàozuòto be called
- 作家zuòjiāwriter
- 作业zuòyèhomework
- 作用zuòyòngeffect
- 创作chuàngzuòto create
- 合作hézuòto cooperate
- 写作xiězuòwriting
- 制作zhìzuòto make
Learn 作文 with its group
It is part of HSK 2 (2021) · Group 63: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.