显明 (xiǎn míng) — clear, obvious, manifest

Definition

Literary/formal adjective meaning 'clear, obvious,' stronger than the everyday 明显 and used mainly in writing or set phrases like 显明的区别. Distinguish from 显著 ('notable, marked'), which emphasizes prominence of results or changes.

adjective
clearobviousmanifest

Examples

  • 显明。
    Zhè ge wèn tí de dá àn hěn xiǎn míng.
    The answer to this question is very clear.
  • 显明，。
    Tā de tài dù hěn xiǎn míng, bù xū yào zài jiě shì le.
    His attitude is very clear; there's no need to explain further.
  • 显明。
    Zhè liǎng zhǒng fāng fǎ yǒu xiǎn míng de qū bié.
    These two methods have a clear difference.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

显xiǎnmanifest
明míngclear

显 and 明 both convey clarity, so the word means clear or obvious.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 顯; 显 is its simplified writing.

  • 日日rìsun
  • 絲絲sīsilk
  • 頁頁yèperson's head

For 显, the traditional form 顯 is made of 日 (sun), 絲 (silk), and 頁 (person's head).

Open 显 →

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

明 combines 日 (sun) and 月 (moon), showing the sun just rising while the moon has not yet set, or two bright objects in the sky, to express brightness.

Open 明 →

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