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发挥 (fā huī) — to bring out (one's potential, ability, or ideas); to display (a skill or quality); to play (a role)

Definition

发挥 focuses on letting hidden or potential abilities/skills come out (发挥潜力, 发挥水平), and pairs with 作用 for "play a role". 展示 means to put something on display for others to see; 表达 conveys a thought or feeling in words.

verb
to bring out (one's potential, ability, or ideas)to display (a skill or quality)to play (a role)

Examples

  • 发挥。
    Nǐ yí dìng néng fā huī chū zì jǐ de zuì dà qián lì.
    You can definitely bring out your greatest potential.
  • 发挥。
    Tā zài zhè cì rèn wu zhōng fā huī le zhòng yào zuò yòng.
    He played an important role in this mission.
  • 发挥。
    Tā néng zài tuán duì zhōng fā huī chū lǐng dǎo néng lì.
    He can display leadership ability in a team.

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fāput forth
挥huīwield

发 and 挥 both convey putting something forth, so the word means bringing out ability or ideas.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 揮; 挥 is its simplified writing.

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

The traditional form 揮 pairs 扌 (hand) with 軍 as a sound part; the simplified 挥 is a shorthand, so its right side is not the historical component.

Open 挥 →
Appears in
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