While “paragraph” might seem like a universal, culture-free concept, its application in Chinese writing connects to a rich rhetorical tradition. Traditionally, Chinese texts were written without modern punctuation or paragraph breaks. The division of thought was a matter of rhetorical flow understood by the educated reader. The modern visual 段落 (with indentation and line breaks) was largely adopted from the West. However, the underlying structure of how paragraphs are organized often follows a classic four-part structure known as 起承转合 (qǐ chéng zhuǎn hé), especially in argumentative or narrative writing.
This structure is different from the common five-paragraph essay (Introduction, Body 1, Body 2, Body 3, Conclusion) taught in many Western schools. While both use paragraphs as building blocks, the 起承转合 model emphasizes a more dynamic, flowing progression of ideas, with the “turn” (转) being a key feature. Understanding this can give you a deeper appreciation for the logic and artistry of Chinese essays.
段落 is a fundamental term used in any context involving written text. In Education and Study: This is where you'll hear it most. A teacher might say:
In the Workplace: When reviewing documents, contracts, or reports, 段落 is used to specify a location.
The Common Abbreviation: 段 (duàn) In everyday conversation, it's far more common to shorten 段落 to just 段 (duàn). This is a crucial tip for sounding natural.
The formality is neutral. 段落 is slightly more formal and complete, while 段 is the default in most spoken situations.
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