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抒发 (shū fā) — to express, to voice (one's feelings, thoughts, etc.)

Definition

A written/formal verb for 'to express or voice' inner feelings or ideas — stronger and more literary than everyday 表达, typically used for emotions, thoughts, or artistic release.

verb
to expressto voice (one's feelings, thoughts, etc.)

Examples

  • 抒发。
    Tā tōng guò xiě shī lái shū fā zì jǐ de gǎn qíng.
    He expresses his feelings through writing poetry.
  • ，抒发。
    Zài huì yì shàng, tā dà dǎn dì shū fā le zì jǐ de guān diǎn.
    At the meeting, she boldly voiced her own opinion.
  • 抒发。
    Yīn yuè shì yì zhǒng hěn hǎo de shū fā qíng gǎn de fāng shì.
    Music is a great way to express emotions.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

抒shūexpress
发fāsend out

抒 means to express, and 发 means to send out; both point to giving voice to feelings.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
予
予yǔ抒shū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 扌 is a hand, showing that 抒 relates to a hand action. The right side 予 gives the sound.

Open 抒 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 發; 发 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 发 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (爆发, 出发) it is 發; in others (理发, 头发) it is 髮.

The form 發, which 发 stands for in many words, was originally drawn as a bow firing an arrow.

Open 发 →
Appears in
Communication & Speech

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