展 meaning and stroke order
To open, to unfold; to extend, to stretch
How to write 展, stroke by stroke
10 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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- 10
Meaning of 展
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to spread out
- to open up
- to exhibit
- to put into effect
- to postpone
- to prolong
How 展 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Laying out clothes 㠭 for sale in a market 尸; compare 㠭.
Radical: 尸 (body), shared by 40 characters on this site.
How to remember 展
Picture clothes, the bottom part of 衣 (yī), being laid out and spread open under a shelter 尸, like a vendor displaying goods at a market. Spreading clothes out to show them gives you both meanings: to unfold and to exhibit.
展 rarely stands alone in modern speech. It usually appears in words about spreading out, growing, or showing, such as 发展 (fāzhǎn) and 展览 (zhǎnlǎn). Example: 这个城市发展得很快。(Zhège chéngshì fāzhǎn de hěn kuài.) This city is developing very fast.
Common mistake: Learners often write the bottom as a full 衣, but in 展 the top of 衣 is replaced by a cross-like shape under 尸, so only the lower part of 衣 is visible. Also keep the third tone zhǎn and do not confuse it with 站 (zhàn, to stand) or 战 (zhàn, war), which are fourth tone.
Common words with 展
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 发展 | fāzhǎn | development; growth | HSK 3 |
| 进展 | jìnzhǎn | to make headway; to make progress | HSK 3 |
| 展开 | zhǎnkāi | to unfold; to spread out; to open up; to launch; to carry out | HSK 3 |
| 开展 | kāizhǎn | to launch; to develop | HSK 3 |
| 扩展 | kuòzhǎn | to extend; to expand | HSK 4 |
| 展示 | zhǎnshì | to reveal; to display; to show; to exhibit | HSK 5 |
| 展现 | zhǎnxiàn | to unfold before one's eyes; to emerge; to reveal; to display | HSK 5 |
| 展览 | zhǎnlǎn | to put on display; to exhibit | HSK 5 |
| 参展 | cānzhǎn | to exhibit at or take part in a trade show etc | HSK 6 |
| 车展 | chēzhǎn | auto show; motor show | HSK 6 |
| 展出 | zhǎnchū | to put on display; to be on show | HSK 7-9 |
| 拓展 | tuòzhǎn | to expand; to extend; to broaden (client base, outlook, territory etc); (computing) to sca | HSK 7-9 |
| 画展 | huàzhǎn | art exhibition | HSK 7-9 |
| 展览会 | zhǎnlǎnhuì | exhibition; show | HSK 7-9 |
展 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 展
Learning 展 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 展
How many strokes are in 展?
展 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 展 mean?
展 (zhǎn) means to open, to unfold; to extend, to stretch. A common word with it is 发展 (fāzhǎn), meaning "development; growth".
How do you pronounce 展?
展 is pronounced zhǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 展?
The radical of 展 is 尸, which carries the idea of "body". Dictionaries list 展 under this radical.
Is 展 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 展 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What is the difference between 展开 and 开展?
展开 (zhǎnkāi) often means physically unfolding something, like a map, and also launching a discussion or debate. 开展 (kāizhǎn) is mostly used for starting and carrying out activities, campaigns, or work, as in 开展活动 (kāizhǎn huódòng).
How do you say exhibition using 展?
Use 展览 (zhǎnlǎn) for an exhibition in general, or the short form 展 after a topic, as in 车展 (chēzhǎn, car show) or 画展 (huàzhǎn, art exhibition). The venue is often called 展览馆 (zhǎnlǎnguǎn).