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发展 (fā zhǎn) — to develop, to grow, to expand

Definition

发展 is a broad 'develop / grow' verb for things, places, and abstract processes like relationships. 开发 is more about actively working on a product or resource; 发育 is physical/bodily growth.

verb
to developto growto expand

Examples

  • 发展。
    Wǒ men xué xiào fā zhǎn dé hěn kuài.
    Our school is developing very quickly.
  • 发展。
    Zhè ge chéng shì zhèng zài fā zhǎn.
    This city is developing.
  • 发展。
    Tā men de guān xì fā zhǎn dé hěn hǎo.
    Their relationship is developing very well.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

发fāsend out
展zhǎnspread

'发' means send out or start, and '展' means spread; together they describe expanding or growing.

Characters in this word

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 →

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
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