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展示 (zhǎn shì) — to display, to show, to exhibit

Definition

展示 means to display or exhibit, often something tangible (items, plans, skills) shown to an audience. Compared with 展现 (more about revealing an inherent quality) and 展览 (a formal exhibition event), 展示 is the general-purpose verb.

verb
to displayto showto exhibit

Examples

  • 展示。
    Tā zài huì yì shàng zhǎn shì le xīn de shè jì fāng àn.
    He showed the new design plan at the meeting.
  • 展示。
    Zhè ge bó wù guǎn zhǎn shì le xǔ duō zhēn guì de wén wù.
    This museum displays many precious cultural relics.
  • 展示。
    Tā yòng zì jǐ de xíng dòng zhǎn shì le zhēn zhèng de yǒng qì.
    She showed true courage through her actions.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

展zhǎndisplay
示shìshow

展 and 示 both mean show or display, so together they emphasize making something visible.

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

示 began as a drawing of an altar. Extra strokes were added to keep it distinct from unrelated old forms.

Open 示 →
Appears in
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