目前發現中國最古老的一種成熟文字，是中國商代後期（前14～前11世纪）王室用於占卜記事而刻（或寫）在龜甲和獸骨上的文字。多出土於河南安陽小屯村（殷墟）。

殷商滅亡周朝興起之後，甲骨文還延續使用了一段時期。文字結構由獨體趨向合體，並有大量形聲字，但多數字的筆畫、結構尚未定型，具有古樸又富有變化的藝術性。

甲骨文(P,,U,繁體中文-偏好,D,U,NA)
甲骨(,U,繁體中文-非偏好,AD,U,U)
chia ku wen(P,,U,韋氏拼音-偏好,UF,U,NA)
jiǎ gǔ wén(P,,U,漢語拼音-偏好,UF,U,NA)
jiǎ gǔ wén(,U,漢語拼音-非偏好,UF,U,U)
jia gu wen(P,,U,漢語拼音(無聲調)-偏好,UF,U,NA)
oracle bone script(P,,U,英文-偏好,D,U,NA)
bone-and-shell script(,U,英文-非偏好,UF,U,U)
jiaguwen(,U,英文-非偏好,UF,U,U)

藝術與建築詞典根目錄
....物件層面
........組件 (層級名)
............成分
................<依特定背景區分之組件>
....................<資訊形式組件>
........................<書寫體與活字類型>
............................手寫體 (書寫)
................................<依形式區分之書寫體>
....................................中國書體
........................................篆書
............................................甲骨文

related style/period/culture is....	商
related style/period/culture is....	周

英文....

Script of the most ancient Chinese writing so far discovered; the characters are inscribed on tortoise shells or animal bones as records of divination carried out by the royals in the latter half of the Shang dynasty (14th to 11th century BCE). The vast majority of the oracle bones were excavated from the modern Xiaotun Village of Anyang City, Henan Province (or Yinxu, the ruins of the last capital of the Shang dynasty).

甲骨文............	[AS-Academia Sinica]
.................	TELDAP database (2009-)
.................	中國文物大辭典
.................	雄獅中國美術辭典
.................	書法辭典
甲骨............	[AS-Academia Sinica]
.................	故宮後設資料需求規格書
chia ku wen............	[VP]
.................	TELDAP database (2009-)
.................	Encyclopedia Britannica Online (2002-)
jiǎ gǔ wén............	[AS-Academia Sinica]
.................	TELDAP database (2009-)
jiǎ gǔ wén............	[AS-Academia Sinica]
.................	TELDAP database (2009-)
jia gu wen............	[VP]
.................	TELDAP database (2009-)
oracle bone script............	[VP]
.................	Grove Art Online (2008-)
.................	TELDAP database (2009-)
.................	Encyclopedia Britannica Online (2002-)
bone-and-shell script............	[VP]
.................	Encyclopedia Britannica Online (2002-)
jiaguwen............	[VP]
.................	Encyclopedia Britannica Online (2002-) accessed 18 March 2011
Subject:............	[AS-Academia Sinica]
.................	Chinese Art Dictionary (1989)
.................	Calligraphy Dictionary (1989)
.................	Dictionary of Chinese Historical Relics (2008)

Getty AAT: 300343583 Getty AAT: http://www.getty.edu/vow/AATFullDisplay?find=costume&logic=AND¬e=&subjectid=300343583
聯合目錄： 甲骨文 、甲骨 、chia ku wen 、jiǎ gǔ wén 、jiǎ gǔ wén 、jia gu wen 、oracle bone script 、bone-and-shell script 、jiaguwen