名扬天下 (míng yáng tiān xià) — to become world-famous; to be renowned worldwide

Definition

A formal, four-character idiom meaning someone or something's fame has spread to every corner of the world — used for legendary figures, landmark achievements, or iconic works, not casual recognition.

verb
to become world-famousto be renowned worldwide

Examples

  • 名扬天下。
    Tā píng jiè zì jǐ de cái huá míng yáng tiān xià.
    He became world-famous through his own talent.
  • 名扬天下。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī shēng chǎn de diàn zǐ chǎn pǐn míng yáng tiān xià.
    The electronic products made by this company are renowned worldwide.
  • 名扬天下。
    Tā de yì shù zuò pǐn ràng tā míng yáng tiān xià.
    Her artistic works made her world-famous.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

名 puts 夕 (crescent moon) above 口 (mouth), showing a name spoken in the dark.

Open 名 →

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 揚; 扬 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
昜
昜yáng揚
Same sound today

The traditional form 揚 uses 手 to show a hand-related action and 昜 to give the sound; the simplified 扬 is a later abbreviation.

Open 扬 →

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
大大dà
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng天tiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape comes from a frontal standing man 大 with a head; 天 pairs 大 with 丁 for sound.

Open 天 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

下 is drawn as a short horizontal line below a long curved line.

Open 下 →

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