also: ちぶん
noun
topography; physical features of the Earth
Refers to natural land features such as rivers, mountains, and plains. A somewhat technical term; in everyday conversation, 地形 (ちけい) is more common.
この地域の地文は複雑で、多くの河川と丘陵が見られる。
The topography of this region is complex, with many rivers and hills.
noun
physiography; physical geography
Only with reading ちもん
Abbreviation of 地文学 (ちもんがく). Used in academic or scientific contexts. Restricted to the reading ちもん.
See also: 地文学
彼は大学で地文を専攻し、地形の形成過程を研究している。
He majored in physical geography at university and researches landform formation processes.
Compound of 地 (ち, 'earth, land') and 文 (もん, 'pattern, writing'). The reading ちぶん is a less common variant. The abbreviation sense derives from 地文学.