<p>In traditional Chinese (Taiwan), we always use <code>紋身</code>, not <code>文身</code>. </p>

<p>Both <code>文</code> and <code>紋</code> are nouns in origin, and we verbalize those characters (in Taiwan).</p>

<p><code>文</code>, in verb, means more like <code>to write (a word)</code>; <code>紋</code>, in verb, means more like <code>to embroider (a pattern)</code>.</p>

<p>You could check out the <code>刺青</code> in wikipedia.</p>

<p>By the way, 紋身 could be a verb or a noun.</p>

<hr>

<p>More info:</p>

<p>Due to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Revolution" rel="nofollow">Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution</a> (文化大革命), China had simplified Chinese characters. They use one Chinese character to representative multiple characters. Today, most Chinese doesn't recognize or know the correctly original characters anymore. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-08T12:09:20.050Z
Basically wrong. 1) 文身 is the very original form, not 紋身. 中華民國教育部重編國語辭典修訂本 include both entries 文身 and 紋身. In fact, the oracle script 文 just stands for tattoo. 2) Simplified Chinese characters weren't invented due to the cultural revolution. In PRC, the first official document for character simplification was issued in 1956, just before the cultural revolution. Well, if we are talking about **the first time in modern China** when simplified characters were officially carried out, it should be in 1935, via Order No. 11400 issued by MOE of ROC.
Stan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-12T05:59:47.827Z
-1. Your comments about 文身 and history of Simplified Chinese are both wrong.
thinwa
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-08T10:19:46.823Z
2014-12-08T11:32:11.057Z
2014-12-08T11:32:11.057Z
Xaree Lee
<p>They are purists. In the words of Steven Pinker:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>...also known as sticklers, pedants, peevers, snobs, snoots, nitpickers,
  traditionalists, language police, usage nannies, grammar Nazis, and
  the Gotcha! Gang.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>According to this <a href="http://www.chinanews.com/cul/2013/02-19/4577167.shtml" rel="noreferrer">article</a>, <code>纹身</code> is accepted by a newer version of 《现代汉语词典》 as an alternative form of <code>文身</code>. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-08T07:29:29.083Z
I think the first paragraph in your answer should be removed.
fefe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-08T08:36:46.597Z
I don't know why you call them "communists", but indeed they are so-called **purists**. The very original meaning of 文 traced back to oracle scripts was just "tattoo on the chest", while 紋 didn't appear in *Shuowen* and was invented to differentiate from 文 much later. The purists are so proud that they refuse to use the character without historical origin. It seems ridiculous but sometimes they have a point in my opinion (e.g. I agree that the character 錶 is totally needless).
Stan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-08T09:48:19.877Z
@Stan I guess that's just a joke. He's talking ablut [Grammar Nazi](http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/grammar-nazi), but being China famous (along Russia and Cuba) as a communist country, he felt the need to swap the qualifier.
Zachiel
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-08T10:34:10.490Z
@Zachiel: Russia is _not_ "a communist country". Hasn't been for decades.
Lightness Races in Orbit
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-09T01:45:59.120Z
@fefe I take back my words because I've found something better :)
Wang Dingwei
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-08T05:06:54.827Z
2014-12-09T02:00:10.510Z
2014-12-09T02:00:10.510Z
Wang Dingwei
<p>I've only ever known tattoo (wénshēn) to be written as 纹身.</p>
<p>I was reading an article from <strong>凤凰财经</strong> yesterday called <em>猪躺着也能挣：一张纹身猪皮值百万</em>.</p>
<p>What struck me, though, were all the comments on the article saying things like:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>错别字，不是这个纹，小便没好好读书</p>
</blockquote>
<p>and</p>
<blockquote>
<p>文身的文写错了！！好么！！！！</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Looking through <strong>ABC</strong>, <strong>Zhongshan Medical</strong> and even the <strong>Grande Ricci</strong> they all have:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>纹身〔紋/--〕</p>
<p>wénshēn</p>
<p>tattoo / tattooing (MeSH) / Tatouer</p>
</blockquote>
<p>(respectively).</p>
<p>MoE and 两岸 have entires for 文身 and note:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>亦作「刺青」、「紋身」。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>There seems to be a pattern here, though. MoE and 两岸 are Taiwan-based; 凤凰 is Hong Kong-based.</p>
<p>So where are the complaints coming from?</p>
<p>Let's have a look at <strong>规范</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>动 在人体的皮肤上刺上文字或图案。</p>
<p><em>注意 不宜写作“纹身”。</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Oh, there it is. Mainland-based 规范 is not happy with the 绞丝旁 here.</p>
<p>I have my hunches but what's the deal?</p>
<p>Why are some people so insistent that 纹 is wrong?</p>
<p>And who are these people?</p>

<usage><characters>
Why 纹 is the wrong character to write for tattoo?
# Why 纹 is the wrong character to write for tattoo?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-12-08)

I've only ever known tattoo (wénshēn) to be written as 纹身.

I was reading an article from **凤凰财经** yesterday called *猪躺着也能挣：一张纹身猪皮值百万*.

What struck me, though, were all the comments on the article saying things like:

> 错别字，不是这个纹，小便没好好读书

and

> 文身的文写错了！！好么！！！！

Looking through **ABC**, **Zhongshan Medical** and even the **Grande Ricci** they all have:

> 纹身〔紋/--〕
>
> wénshēn
>
> tattoo / tattooing (MeSH) / Tatouer

(respectively).

MoE and 两岸 have entires for 文身 and note:

> 亦作「刺青」、「紋身」。

There seems to be a pattern here, though. MoE and 两岸 are Taiwan-based; 凤凰 is Hong Kong-based.

So where are the complaints coming from?

Let's have a look at **规范**

> 动 在人体的皮肤上刺上文字或图案。
>
> *注意 不宜写作“纹身”。*

Oh, there it is. Mainland-based 规范 is not happy with the 绞丝旁 here.

I have my hunches but what's the deal?

Why are some people so insistent that 纹 is wrong?

And who are these people?

**Tags:** usage, characters

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2014-12-08. Score: 13 | Accepted answer

They are purists. In the words of Steven Pinker:

> ...also known as sticklers, pedants, peevers, snobs, snoots, nitpickers,
> traditionalists, language police, usage nannies, grammar Nazis, and
> the Gotcha! Gang.

According to this [article](http://www.chinanews.com/cul/2013/02-19/4577167.shtml), `纹身` is accepted by a newer version of 《现代汉语词典》 as an alternative form of `文身`.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: I think the first paragraph in your answer should be removed.  
> **username_2**: I don't know why you call them "communists", but indeed they are so-called **purists**. The very original meaning of 文 traced back to oracle scripts was just "tattoo on the chest", while 紋 didn't appear in *Shuowen* and was invented to differentiate from 文 much later. The purists are so proud that they refuse to use the character without historical origin. It seems ridiculous but sometimes they have a point in my opinion (e.g. I agree that the character 錶 is totally needless).  
> **username_6**: @Stan I guess that's just a joke. He's talking ablut [Grammar Nazi](http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/grammar-nazi), but being China famous (along Russia and Cuba) as a communist country, he felt the need to swap the qualifier.  
> **username_7**: @Zachiel: Russia is _not_ "a communist country". Hasn't been for decades.  
> **username_4**: @fefe I take back my words because I've found something better :)  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-12-08. Score: -1

In traditional Chinese (Taiwan), we always use `紋身`, not `文身`.

Both `文` and `紋` are nouns in origin, and we verbalize those characters (in Taiwan).

`文`, in verb, means more like `to write (a word)`; `紋`, in verb, means more like `to embroider (a pattern)`.

You could check out the `刺青` in wikipedia.

By the way, 紋身 could be a verb or a noun.

---

More info:

Due to [Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Revolution) (文化大革命), China had simplified Chinese characters. They use one Chinese character to representative multiple characters. Today, most Chinese doesn't recognize or know the correctly original characters anymore.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Basically wrong. 1) 文身 is the very original form, not 紋身. 中華民國教育部重編國語辭典修訂本 include both entries 文身 and 紋身. In fact, the oracle script 文 just stands for tattoo. 2) Simplified Chinese characters weren't invented due to the cultural revolution. In PRC, the first official document for character simplification was issued in 1956, just before the cultural revolution. Well, if we are talking about **the first time in modern China** when simplified characters were officially carried out, it should be in 1935, via Order No. 11400 issued by MOE of ROC.  
> **username_3**: -1. Your comments about 文身 and history of Simplified Chinese are both wrong.  

---

