散文 sǎnwén prose (as opposed to verse)
(broadly) prose (as opposed to verse); (more narrowly) free-form literary prose, such as essays, sketches and reflections
How to remember 散文: 散 to scatter + 文 culture = prose (as opposed to verse).
Characters
How it is used
- Prose, especially the literary essay/sketch genre - 一篇散文 (yì piān sǎnwén) a piece of prose, 散文诗 (sǎnwénshī) prose poetry.
- As a genre it means free-form reflective/lyrical essays, as opposed to poetry (诗), fiction (小说), and drama (戏剧).
- Note the reading sǎn (third tone) here. Literary register.