Chinese word

发展

Pronunciation

Pinyinfā zhǎn

Meaning

  • verbdevelop

Example

这个城市正在发展。zhè ge chéng shì zhèng zài fā zhǎn

This city is developing.

Illustration for 发展 (develop)

More examples

公司通过技术创新来发展新产品。gōng sī tōng guò jì shù chuàng xīn lái fā zhǎn xīn chán pǐn

The company develops new products through technological innovation.

Core concept

Something moves from a smaller starting point toward greater scope, capacity, or influence.

Common phrases

  • 发展经济fā zhǎn jīng jì

    develop the economy

  • 发展旅游fā zhǎn lǚ yóu

    develop tourism

  • 发展自己fā zhǎn zì jǐ

    develop oneself

Similar words

成长chéng zhǎng: Grow physically or in ability while becoming more mature through age or experience.
进步jìn bù: Improve in skill or technology compared with an earlier state.
提高tí gāo: Cause an ability or level to become higher.
增长zēng zhǎng: Become greater in quantity or degree.

Definition in Chinese

使规模、能力或影响力逐渐扩大，着重于由量或范围的增加。shǐ guī mó néng lì huò yíng xiǎng lì zhú jiàn kuò dà zhuó zhòng yú yóu liàng huò fàn wéi de zēng jiā

Word origin

In 发展 (fāzhǎn, "develop"), 发 (fā, "send forth") suggests movement outward and 展 (zhǎn, "unfold") suggests gradual opening, which together form the sense of broadening growth.

Usage tips

  • The verb may take an object, as in expanding an industry or building a market, but it also appears without one when the subject itself changes.

Other meanings

  • developmentnoun
  • growverb
  • expandverb

Opposites

  • 停滞tíng zhìstagnateverb

Related words

  • 发展中fā zhǎn zhōngdevelopingadjective

Word lists with this word