--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Then it dawned on me that men throughout…" description: "\"“Then it dawned on me that men throughout the country had to know about nu shu (women's written word). How could they not? They wore it on their embroi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/164/lisa-see-2200_writing_then-it-dawned-on-me-that-men-throughout_2273764.jpg" --- # Then it dawned on me that men throughout the country had… ![“Then it dawned on me that men throughout the country had to know about nu shu (women's written word). How could they not? They wore it on their embroidered shoes. They saw us weaving our messages into cloth. They heard us singing our songs and showing off our third-day wedding books. Men just…” quote by Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/164/lisa-see-2200_writing_then-it-dawned-on-me-that-men-throughout_2273764.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/164/lisa-see-2200_writing_then-it-dawned-on-me-that-men-throughout_2273764.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/164/lisa-see-2200_writing_then-it-dawned-on-me-that-men-throughout_2273764.jpg) > ““Then it dawned on me that men throughout the country had to know about nu shu (women's written word). How could they not? They wore it on their embroidered shoes. They saw us weaving our messages into cloth. They heard us singing our songs and showing off our third-day wedding books. Men just considered our writing beneath them. It is said men have the hearts of iron, while women are made of water. This comes through men's writing and women's writing. Men's writing has more than 50,000 characters, each uniquely different, each with deep meanings and nuances. Our women's writing has 600 characters, which we use phonetically, like babies to create about 10,000 words. Men's writing takes a lifetime to learn and understand. Women's writing is something we pick up as girls, and we rely on the context to coax meaning. Men write about the outer realm of literature, accounts, and crop yields; women write about the inner realm of children, daily chores, and emotions. The men in the Lu household were proud of their wives' fluency in nu shu and dexterity in embroidery, though these things had as much importance to survival as a pig's fart.”” [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Women’s secret script, nu shu, reveals a parallel literary world that men overlook, highlighting gendered knowledge and cultural value. **In simple terms:** Women’s hidden writing shows a different, valued perspective. Key Takeaway Recognize and honor women’s unique cultural contributions. Themes gender culture literature knowledge inequality Mood reflective thoughtful Type historical cultural When to use this quote - historical research - women’s studies - anthropology - education - heritage preservation Key Concepts nu shu gendered literacy cultural transmission Questions to Reflect On - How can societies better integrate women’s historical narratives? - What value does preserving nu shu bring today? A Different Perspective Men’s dominance can marginalize women’s voices, limiting broader understanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Men Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-write-334665/) [Men Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-writing-326373/) [Women Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-write-449084/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-men-439077/) [Writing Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-women-281413/) ## Related quotes > [Men aren't actively writing women to oppress them, men are writing what they know. I say you can be much better as a woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-bloom/men-aren-t-actively-writing-women-to-oppress-them-men-are-writing/) [Rachel Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-bloom/) > [I like writing about women, weak and strong, pathetic and heroic. I like writing about men, ditto. 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It is said men have the hearts of iron, while women are made of water. This comes through men's writing and women's writing. Men's writing has more than 50,000 characters, each uniquely different, each with deep meanings and nuances. Our women's writing has 600 characters, which we use phonetically, like babies to create about 10,000 words. Men's writing takes a lifetime to learn and understand. Women's writing is something we pick up as girls, and we rely on the context to coax meaning. Men write about the outer realm of literature, accounts, and crop yields; women write about the inner realm of children, daily chores, and emotions. 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