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发觉 (fā jué) — to become aware of; to realize; to detect

Definition

发觉 (fājué) means to gradually become aware of something, often something hidden or a change. Stronger and more formal than the everyday 发现; pairs with 察觉 to mean 'detect / perceive'.

verb
to become aware ofto realizeto detect
Easily confused

Examples

  • 发觉。
    Tā fā jué zì jǐ de qián bāo bú jiàn le.
    He realized his wallet was gone.
  • 发觉。
    Wǒ fā jué zhè ge jì huà lǐ yǒu gè dà wèn tí.
    I detected a major problem in this plan.
  • 发觉。
    Tā màn màn fā jué zì jǐ bèi qī piàn le.
    She gradually became aware that she had been deceived.

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fādiscover
觉juéperceive

"发" contributes "discover" and "觉" contributes "perceive", so 发觉 means to notice or discover.

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 覺; 觉 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
見見jiànsee
Sound part声符shēngfú
𦥯
𦥯𦥯覺jué
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 覺 pairs 見, a part that means see, with 𦥯, a part that gives the sound; simplified 觉 is a later abbreviation.

Open 觉 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Thinking & Cognition

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