语文 (yǔ wén)

Character breakdown

• 语 (yǔ) · 9 strokes

  Simplified form of 語. Phonosemantic compound. 言 represents the meaning and 吾 represents the sound.

• 文 (Wén) · 4 strokes

  Pictograph of a man with writing (possibly a tattoo) on his chest. In later scripts the writing was abbreviated to a dot or omitted altogether.