plain characters

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "plain characters" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to characters that are simple, straightforward, or lacking in embellishment, often in the context of typography or text formatting. Example: "For this document, please use plain characters to ensure clarity and readability."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The most popular e-mail programs and formats are the same, sending plain characters.

The New York Times - Magazine

Thus, all of the characters in Crystal Eaters are installed from the beginning with a strange sense of desperation and fervor, one quite unlike plain characters on a page.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

The coastal plain character optimization shows a complex phylogeographic pattern with nine independent colonizations into the Appalachian highlands and six re-colonizations back to the coastal plain.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

It's easiest to wear very plain, character, or brightly coloured men's underwear if you want to go unnoticed, plain is just plain, brightly coloured is girly, and if you wear cartoon pants, you can just brush it off as liking them.

WikiHow

The Chinese news media ran photographs of people crying outside the ministry's Beijing headquarters, or posing next to its old sign, "Ministry of Railways," in plain black characters.

The New York Times

The prose is very plain; the characters are a little abstract; the questions they ask aren't quite as interesting as they suppose.

The Guardian - Books

Artifice is the fashion of the day: exaggerated (or just plain ridiculous) characters talking fake talk in worlds sealed off in bubble plastic.

The New York Times - Arts

"He has always thought of a novel, before it has taken on its first, tentative structure, as a scene on this dark plain, the characters standing around a small fire which warmly etches the edges of their faces," Williams writes of his main character, Aaron Benham, a middle-aged novelist and professor.

Los Angeles Times

Unlike the famously sentimental O. Henry, Buck writes sparely, tugging at her readers' heartstrings solely through the thoughts and actions of her plain-spoken characters.

The New York Times - Books

Even likable shows usually allow you to indulge in small doses of hatewatching by including the odd ill-fitting, unrealistic or just plain annoying character.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

His plain-speaking characters — aid workers, government officials, students, fishermen, a military wife, an aging athlete — jolly readers into absorbing unresolvable geopolitical quandaries along with their entertainment.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "plain characters" in technical documentation, specify the character encoding (e.g. UTF-8, ASCII) to avoid ambiguity and ensure consistent rendering across different systems.

Common error

Avoid using "plain characters" when you actually mean "simple language" or "uncomplicated plot". The phrase refers to the visual representation or format of text, not the complexity of its content.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "plain characters" functions primarily as a descriptive term, specifying the style or nature of text. Ludwig AI suggests that it signifies characters lacking embellishment or special formatting.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

5%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "plain characters" refers to text presented in its most basic, unformatted state, emphasizing simplicity and compatibility. Ludwig AI identifies its primary function as descriptive, often utilized in discussions of text formatting and typography. While the frequency of use is rare, authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian employ it across various contexts. To avoid misinterpretations, be mindful of its specific reference to the visual representation of text, and avoid using it when referring to the complexity of content. For related concepts, alternatives like "simple characters" or "basic characters" can provide similar meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

simple characters

Focuses on the lack of complexity rather than the lack of embellishment.

unadorned characters

Emphasizes the absence of decorative elements.

basic characters

Highlights the essential or fundamental nature of the characters.

standard characters

Refers to characters that are commonly used and widely recognized.

minimalist characters

Suggests a deliberate reduction to the bare essentials.

clear characters

Focuses on the clarity and legibility of the characters.

unembellished characters

Directly states the absence of added features or decorations.

straightforward characters

Indicates a direct and uncomplicated style.

modest characters

Implies a humble or understated presentation.

austere characters

Conveys a sense of severity or simplicity.

FAQs

How can I use "plain characters" in a sentence?

You can use "plain characters" when discussing text formatting or typography, for example: "For maximum compatibility, save the file using "plain characters" and standard encoding."

What does "plain characters" refer to?

"Plain characters" typically refers to text without special formatting, styles, or embedded codes. It represents the most basic form of text.

What is the difference between "plain text" and "plain characters"?

"Plain text" refers to the format of a file that contains only text characters without formatting. "Plain characters" refers to the characters themselves when considering aspects like readability or display.

When is it appropriate to use "plain characters"?

Using "plain characters" is appropriate when you want to ensure maximum compatibility across different systems, when formatting is unimportant, or when dealing with systems that do not support rich text formatting.