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展望 (zhǎn wàng) — to look ahead, to look forward to

Definition

展望 emphasizes looking into the future, often for plans or prospects (展望未来), with a forward-planning tone — more formal and analytical than 盼望 (eager hope) or 向往 (yearn). Use it for outlooks and forecasts, not personal longing.

verb
to look aheadto look forward to

Examples

  • 展望。
    Wǒ men zhǎn wàng wèi lái de fā zhǎn.
    We look ahead to future development.
  • 展望。
    Tā zhǎn wàng zhe yuǎn fāng de chéng shì.
    He gazed ahead at the distant city.
  • 展望。
    Dà jiā dōu zài zhǎn wàng xīn de kāi shǐ.
    Everyone is looking forward to a new beginning.

Origin

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.

展zhǎnopen or extend
望wànglook

展 opens or extends the view and 望 means to look, giving a look ahead.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
尸尸shī
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.

Open 展 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 臣臣chéneye
  • 𡈼𡈼𡈼person standing on the ground

望 originally showed 臣 (eye) beside 𡈼 (person standing on the ground): a person standing up and looking off into the distance. Later 月 was added, and the 臣 part became 亡.

Open 望 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Thinking & Cognition

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