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揭发 (jiē fā) — to expose, to disclose, to bring to light

Definition

揭发 is to expose or denounce wrongdoing, often by reporting it to authorities. Stronger and more accusatory than 揭露 (which simply lays bare truth), and 揭发 implies formally accusing someone.

verb
to exposeto discloseto bring to light

Examples

  • 揭发。
    Jì zhě jiē fā le zhè qǐ chǒu wén.
    The journalist exposed this scandal.
  • 揭发。
    Tā jué dìng jiē fā gōng sī de wéi fǎ xíng wéi.
    He decided to expose the company's illegal activities.
  • 揭发。
    Méi yǒu rén gǎn jiē fā zhēn xiàng.
    No one dares to expose the truth.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

揭jiēuncover
发fādisclose

Both 揭, uncover, and 发, disclose, point to bringing hidden wrongdoing to light.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
曷
曷hé揭jiē
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

揭 pairs 扌, the hand radical (full form 手), with 曷, which supplies the sound; the hand part fits meanings like lifting or taking off.

Open 揭 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Crime & PoliceLaw & Justice

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