diff --git a/manual/source/datarules.rst b/manual/source/datarules.rst
index 1972d9a227..029f49ccb2 100644
--- a/manual/source/datarules.rst
+++ b/manual/source/datarules.rst
@@ -238,19 +238,30 @@ matches the data type specifier.
 .. index:: ! strings
 
 **strings**
-    All strings are to be encoded in UTF-8. Since most strings in a
-    NeXus file are restricted to a small set of characters and the first 128 characters are standard across encodings,
-    the encoding of most of the strings in a NeXus file will be a moot point.
-    Where encoding in UTF-8 will be important is when recording people's names in ``NXuser``
-    and text notes in ``NXnotes``.
-    
-    .. https://github.com/nexusformat/NIAC/issues/23#issuecomment-308773465
-    
-    .. index:: strings; variable-length
-    .. index:: strings; fixed-length
-    
-    NeXus accepts both variable and fixed length strings, 
-    software that reads NeXus data files should support both.
+    ``NX_CHAR``:
+   All strings are to be encoded in UTF-8. Since most strings in a
+   NeXus file are restricted to a small set of characters 
+   and the first 128 characters are standard across encodings,
+   the encoding of most of the strings in a NeXus file will be a moot point.
+   Encoding in UTF-8 will be important when recording people's names 
+   in ``NXuser`` and text notes in ``NXnotes``.
+   
+   .. https://github.com/nexusformat/NIAC/issues/23#issuecomment-308773465
+   
+   .. index:: strings; variable-length
+   .. index:: strings; fixed-length
+   .. index:: strings; arrays
+   
+   .. https://github.com/nexusformat/definitions/issues/281
+   
+   NeXus accepts both variable and fixed length strings, 
+   as well as arrays of strings.
+   Software that reads NeXus data files should support 
+   all of these.
+
+   Some file writers write strings as a string array
+   of rank 1 and length 1.
+   Clients should be prepared to handle such strings.
 
 .. index:: binary data
 
diff --git a/nxdlTypes.xsd b/nxdlTypes.xsd
index 4ce9e1e8ea..79d28b9795 100644
--- a/nxdlTypes.xsd
+++ b/nxdlTypes.xsd
@@ -434,7 +434,18 @@
     
     <xs:simpleType name="NX_CHAR">
 		<xs:annotation>
-			<xs:documentation>any string representation</xs:documentation>
+			<xs:documentation>
+				any string representation
+				
+				All strings are to be encoded in UTF-8. 
+				
+				Includes fixed-length strings, variable-length strings,
+				and string arrays.
+				
+				Some file writers write strings as a string array
+				of rank 1 and length 1.
+				Clients should be prepared to handle such strings.
+			</xs:documentation>
 		</xs:annotation>
 		<xs:restriction base="xs:string" />
 	</xs:simpleType>