Meaning of 显得
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to seem
- to look
- to appear
How to use 显得
显得 is followed by an adjective or adjective phrase and describes the impression something gives, often compared with reality or with something else. It is common in both speech and writing. Example: 你穿这件衣服显得很年轻。(Nǐ chuān zhè jiàn yīfu xiǎnde hěn niánqīng.) You look very young in this outfit.
显 (xiǎn) means to show or be visible, and 得 (de) is a common verb ending, so 显得 is how something shows itself to others. Think of it as "shows up as": 她显得很累 means tiredness is visible on her.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 显得 with 觉得 (juéde). 觉得 is what a person thinks or feels, while 显得 is how something looks to others. So 我觉得很累 means I feel tired, but 我显得很累 means I look tired. Also remember the 得 here is neutral tone, de, not dé.
显得 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
显 xiǎn · to make visible · 9 strokes
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得 dé · to obtain · 11 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 显得.
| 觉得 | juéde | to think that ...; to feel that ...; to feel (uncomfortable etc) |
| 得到 | dédào | to get; to obtain; to receive |
| 记得 | jìde | to remember |
| 懂得 | dǒngde | to understand; to know; to comprehend |
| 取得 | qǔdé | to acquire; to get; to obtain |
| 得出 | déchū | to obtain (a result); to arrive at (a conclusion) |
| 不得不 | bùdébù | have no choice or option but to; cannot but |
| 值得 | zhídé | worth the money; to merit; to deserve; to be worth (doing sth) |
| 显然 | xiǎnrán | clearly; evidently; obviously |
| 明显 | míngxiǎn | clear; distinct |
| 显示 | xiǎnshì | to show; to illustrate |
| 认得 | rènde | to recognize; to remember sth (or sb) on seeing it |
Questions about 显得
What does 显得 mean?
显得 (xiǎnde) means "to seem; to look" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 显得?
显得 is made of 2 characters: 显 (9 strokes), 得 (11 strokes). That is 20 strokes in total.
Is 显得 an HSK word?
Yes. 显得 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 显得 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 显得 is written 顯得.
What is the difference between 显得 and 看起来?
Both can mean "to look" or "to seem." 看起来 (kàn qǐlai) is more casual and focuses on the viewer's judgment. 显得 often suggests that something makes a quality stand out, as in 房间显得很大 (the room looks spacious).
Can 显得 be followed by a noun?
Usually not. 显得 is normally followed by an adjective or descriptive phrase, such as 显得很紧张 (looks nervous). To compare to a noun, use 像 (xiàng) instead, for example 他像个孩子 (he is like a child).