How to Write 显 (xiǎn) — Meaning “Apparent / To show”

Imagine that the sun (日) is shining brightly on your work (业), making everything clear and easy to see. This helps you remember that 显 means 'apparent' or 'to show' because sunlight reveals what is hidden.

Write the top 日 with a narrow shape, then write the bottom 业 starting with a dot then a horizontal line. A common mistake is making the 日 too wide or misaligning the vertical stroke; the center vertical of 业 should line up with the middle of 日.

显 has the bottom component 业 (work), while 旰 has 干 (dry) and 旱 also has 干 but with a different meaning. Visually, 显 has more strokes at the bottom, and its meaning relates to showing clearly, whereas 旰 means 'late in the day' and 旱 means 'drought'.

显 is very common in words like 显示 (to display), 显然 (obviously), and 显眼 (eye-catching). It is used in technology (e.g., screen displays) and everyday conversation to describe something that is clear or noticeable, and it often appears in formal or written Chinese.

Common words containing 显 include: 显示 (xiǎn shì) — To display / To show; 显然 (xiǎn rán) — Obviously / Clearly; 显眼 (xiǎn yǎn) — Conspicuous / Eye-catching.