顯 meaning and stroke order
Clear, evident; prominent; to show
How to write 顯, stroke by stroke
23 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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Meaning of 顯
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to make visible
- to reveal
- prominent
- conspicuous
- (prefix) phanero-
How 顯 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Head.
頁 gives the meaning and 㬎 hints at the sound.
Radical: 頁 (page), shared by 45 characters on this site.
How to remember 顯
顯 is built from 㬎 on the left, which gives the sound xiǎn, and 頁 (head) on the right, which carries the meaning. Picture a head held up high so everyone can see it clearly, and you have the idea of something prominent and easy to notice.
顯 is the traditional form used in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Mainland China writes it as 显. It rarely stands alone and usually appears in words like 明顯 (míngxiǎn, obvious), 顯示 (xiǎnshì, to show) and 顯得 (xiǎnde, to seem). Example: 他今天顯得很累。(Tā jīntiān xiǎnde hěn lèi.) He looks very tired today.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 顯 with 濕 (shī, wet), because both contain the 㬎 shape. Remember that 顯 has 頁 (head) on the right, while 濕 has the water radical 氵 on the left. Also keep the third tone in xiǎn and do not say xiàn, which is a different syllable.
Common words with 顯
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 顯然 | xiǎnrán | clearly; evidently; obviously | HSK 3 |
| 明顯 | míngxiǎn | clear; distinct | HSK 3 |
| 顯示 | xiǎnshì | to show; to illustrate | HSK 3 |
| 顯得 | xiǎnde | to seem; to look | HSK 3 |
| 顯著 | xiǎnzhù | outstanding; notable | HSK 4 |
| 顯出 | xiǎnchū | to express; to exhibit | HSK 6 |
| 顯而易見 | xiǎn'éryìjiàn | clearly and easy to see (idiom); obviously; clearly | HSK 7-9 |
| 顯眼 | xiǎnyǎn | conspicuous; eye-catching | HSK 7-9 |
| 顯現 | xiǎnxiàn | appearance; to appear | HSK 7-9 |
| 顯示器 | xiǎnshìqì | display device; monitor | HSK 7-9 |
| 顯赫 | xiǎnhè | illustrious; celebrated | HSK 7-9 |
| 凸顯 | tūxiǎn | to stand out clearly; to make prominent | HSK 7-9 |
| 顯靈 | xiǎnlíng | (of a supernatural or divine being) to appear; to make itself manifest | |
| 顯微鏡 | xiǎnwēijìng | microscope |
Questions about 顯
How many strokes are in 顯?
顯 is written with 23 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 顯 mean?
顯 (xiǎn) means clear, evident; prominent; to show. A common word with it is 显然 (xiǎnrán), meaning "clearly; evidently; obviously".
How do you pronounce 顯?
顯 is pronounced xiǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 顯?
The radical of 顯 is 頁, which carries the idea of "page". Dictionaries list 顯 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 顯?
顯 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 显, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 顯得 and 顯然?
顯得 (xiǎnde) means to seem or to look a certain way and is followed by a description, as in 顯得年輕 (looks young). 顯然 (xiǎnrán) means obviously and comments on a whole statement, as in 他顯然不知道 (he obviously doesn't know).
Does 顯 have other pronunciations?
No. The data lists only one reading, xiǎn, so you can use it in every word containing 顯.