textual variant; variant reading
Refers to a part of a text that differs between manuscripts, editions, or versions. Common in philology, literary studies, and historical text comparison.
この写本には、他の版と異なる異文がいくつか見られる。
This manuscript contains several textual variants that differ from other editions.
It is thought that later textual variants arose during the copying process.
研究者は異文を比較して、原文の復元を試みた。
The researchers compared the variant readings and attempted to reconstruct the original text.
The researchers compared the textual variants across several manuscripts to estimate the original text.
This manuscript has textual variants in several places.
異版 highlights a different printed edition of a work, whereas 異文 focuses on the actual differing wording or passage.
原文 is the original or base text used for comparison, while 異文 is a variant reading that departs from it.
異文化 means 'a different culture' and shares the kanji 異文 with 異文, but has nothing to do with textual variants.
異聞 (same reading いぶん) means an unusual or variant account/rumor passed down orally, whereas 異文 refers strictly to a variant in a written text.
Compound of 異 (i, 'different') and 文 (bun, 'text, writing'). The reading いぶん follows standard on'yomi. The term is used in classical and modern textual scholarship.