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扩展 (kuò zhǎn) — to extend, to expand

Definition

扩展 is used for adding new reach or scope — business, systems, networks, markets. 扩大 is more about making something bigger in size or scale; 扩张 often implies aggressive territorial or physical expansion.

verb
to extendto expand

Examples

  • 扩展。
    Gōng sī jì huà kuò zhǎn yè wù dào hǎi wài.
    The company plans to expand its business overseas.
  • 扩展，。
    Wǒ men xū yào kuò zhǎn zhè ge xì tǒng, ràng tā zhī chí gèng duō yòng hù.
    We need to extend this system so it supports more users.
  • 扩展。
    Zhèng fǔ jué dìng kuò zhǎn chéng shì de dì tiě wǎng luò.
    The government decided to expand the city's metro network.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

扩kuòexpand
展zhǎnextend

扩 and 展 both express spreading or enlarging, together forming a sense of extension or expansion.

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 擴; 扩 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
廣
廣guǎng擴kuò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 擴 combines 扌 (hand) and 廣 (guǎng) to show stretching or enlarging with hands. The simplified 扩 is not the form described here.

Open 扩 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Change & Process

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