个展 (gè zhǎn) — solo exhibition (of an artist's work)

Definition

noun

solo exhibition (of an artist's work)

个展。
Zhè wèi huà jiā zài měi shù guǎn jǔ bàn le shǒu cì gè zhǎn.
This painter held his first solo exhibition at the art museum.
个展。
Xià zhōu liù wǒ men yì qǐ qù cān guān tā de gè zhǎn ba.
Let's go visit his solo exhibition together next Saturday.
个展。
Tā de gè zhǎn xī yǐn le dà liàng guān zhòng hé shōu cáng jiā.
His solo exhibition attracted a large number of visitors and collectors.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

个gèindividual

展zhǎnexhibition

个 points to one person, and 展 is an exhibition, so 个展 is a solo show.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 個; 个 is its simplified writing.

亻固個

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rénperson

Sound part声符shēngfú

固

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 个, the form 個 pairs 亻 (person) with 固 as a sound part.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

𧝑

𧝑𧝑展zhǎn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

展 is built from 尸 and 𧝑. The 𧝑 part points to fine red silk clothes and also contains the idea of opening or extending.