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展开 (zhǎn kāi) — to unfold, to spread out; to launch, to carry out (a discussion, activity, etc.)

Definition

展开 covers both 'unfold / spread out' (a map, scroll) and 'launch / carry out' (a discussion, activity). For the activity sense it overlaps with 开展, but 展开 is the broader, more neutral choice and also takes a literal-physical meaning 开展 does not have.

verb
to unfoldto spread outto launchto carry out (a discussion, activity, etc.)

Examples

  • 展开。
    Tā bǎ dì tú zhǎn kāi zài zhuō zi shàng.
    She unfolded the map on the table.
  • 展开。
    Gōng sī jì huà zhǎn kāi xīn de xiàng mù.
    The company plans to launch a new project.
  • 展开。
    Tǎo lùn huì jiāng zài xià zhōu zhǎn kāi.
    The discussion will be launched next week.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

展zhǎnunfold
开kāiopen

展 means spread or unfold, and 开 adds the idea of opening, so together they mean to spread out or begin something.

Characters in this word

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
  • 廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →
Appears in
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