表达 (biǎo dá) — to express, to convey

Definition

表达 emphasizes the act of putting thoughts or feelings into words, actions, or art. 表示 is for showing opinions or meaning through a sign/symbol; 传达 is for passing a message on to someone else.

verb
to expressto convey

Examples

  • 表达
    Tā tōng guò huà lái biǎo dá zì jǐ de xīn qíng.
    He uses paintings to express his feelings.
  • Zài huì yì shàng, tā yǒng gǎn dì biǎo dá le zì jǐ de bù tóng yì jiàn.
    At the meeting, he bravely expressed his dissenting opinion.
  • 表达
    Hái zi bú tài huì biǎo dá zì jǐ de xiǎng fǎ, dàn shì fù mǔ kě yǐ rèn zhēn tīng.
    Children are not very good at expressing their own thoughts, but parents can listen carefully.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

reach

“表” and “达” both carry showing or reaching, together meaning to express.

Characters in this word

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

The shape 表 pairs 衣 (garment) with 毛 (hair or feather), originally an outer garment.

Open 表 →

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
Written in full aschuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
Same sound today

This form 达 pairs 辶 (written in full as 辵) with 大 as a sound component.

Open 达 →

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