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发展 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
发展fāzhǎndevelopmentHSK 3, vn, rank #1646, Medium
发展fāzhǎngrowthHSK 3, vn, rank #1646, Medium
发展fāzhǎnto developHSK 3, vn, rank #1646, Medium
发展fāzhǎnto growHSK 3, vn, rank #1646, Medium
发展fāzhǎnto expandHSK 3, vn, rank #1646, Medium
fāzhǎn(fa1zhan3) T1
  1. 1development
  2. 2growth
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March 24, 2026
发展(發展)fāzhǎn(fa1zhan3)

The term 发展 (fāzhǎn) refers to the process of development or growth, whether in a personal, economic, or social context. It is commonly used when discussing progress, advancements, or improvements in various fields, such as technology or education.

Frequency#1646DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In China, the concept of 发展 is deeply intertwined with the nation's rapid economic growth over the last few decades, often associated with the 'Chinese Dream' of modernization and prosperity.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tree (树) growing (长) tall and strong, representing growth and development. The character 发 (fā) can be visualized as 'sending out' branches, while 展 (zhǎn) suggests 'spreading out' leaves, together symbolizing the expansive nature of development.

Meanings of 发展

fāzhǎn(fa1zhan3)
1development
2growth
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 发展

发展Simplified
發展Traditional
Strokes
Radical
名动词dòngcíverb-noun (v.-n.)Part of Speech
#1646Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L3ElementaryTOCFLL3YCTL4HSKKL2CEFRA2

Podcast: 发展

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Podcast: 发展

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AI Study Notes for 发展

Quick Contrast

进步 (jìnbù) - use 发展 (fāzhǎn) for growth in a broader context, while 进步 (jìnbù) emphasizes improvement or progress specifically.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a tree (树) growing (长) tall and strong, representing growth and development. The character 发 (fā) can be visualized as 'sending out' branches, while 展 (zhǎn) suggests 'spreading out' leaves, together symbolizing the expansive nature of development.

Usage Notes

Be mindful that 发展 is often used in formal contexts, such as business or academic discussions. Common collocations include 经济发展 (economic development) and 社会发展 (social development). Students should pay attention to the tone of each character; mispronouncing either can change the meaning.

HSK Study Tips

At HSK Level 4, 发展 connects with other words related to change and improvement, such as 改变 (gǎibiàn, to change) and 提升 (tíshēng, to improve). Focus on using 发展 in sentences to describe processes or changes in various contexts.

Cultural Note

In China, the concept of 发展 is deeply intertwined with the nation's rapid economic growth over the last few decades, often associated with the 'Chinese Dream' of modernization and prosperity.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 发展 with 进步 (jìnbù, progress). For example, saying '我的发展' (wǒ de fāzhǎn) instead of '我的进步' (wǒ de jìnbù) can be incorrect in contexts focusing on personal progress. Remember that 发展 emphasizes broader development.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 发展

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Component Characters

to send out
HSK 35 strokes
View full entry
Zhǎnto spread out
HSK 410 strokes
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Write 发展

Practice writing 发展 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 发展

发展 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

由于经济____很快,人们的生活水平提高了。

Due to rapid economic development, people's living standards have improved.

Example Sentences for 发展 (10)

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1
电影以写实开头,然后却发展成为荒诞的幻想。

diàn yǐng yǐ xiě shí kāi tóu, , rán hòu què fā zhǎn chéng wéi huāng dàn de huàn。

The film starts off realistically and then develops into a ridiculous fantasy.
2
有时事情并不像我们认为的那样发展。

yǒu shí shì qíng bìng bù xiàng wǒ mén rèn wéi de nà yàng fā zhǎn。

Sometimes things don't turn out the way we think they're going to.
3
你打算怎样来发展壮大自己的公司?

nǐ dǎ suàn zěn yàng lái fā zhǎn zhuàng dà zì jǐ de gōng sī?

What are your plans for the development of your company?
4
事业上的发展可能会引发你很多的思考。

shì yè shàng de fā zhǎn kě néng huì yǐn fā nǐ hěn duō de sī kǎo。

Developments in your career may give you food for thought.
5
培养年轻球员应该是所有俱乐部谋求发展之道。

péi yǎng nián qīng qiú yuán yīng gāi shì suǒ yǒu jù lè bù móu qiú fā zhǎn zhī dào。

Young players have got to be the way forward for every club.
6
贸易赤字是经济快速发展带来的负面产物。

mào yì chì zì shì jīng jì kuài sù fā zhǎn dài lái de fù miàn chǎn wù。

The trade deficit is the flip side of a rapidly expanding economy.
7
一旦作出决定,事情就立刻顺理成章地发展下去了。

yī dàn zuò chū jué dìng, , shì qíng jiù lì kè shùn lǐ chéng zhāng dì fā zhǎn xià qù。

Once the decision was made, things fell into place rapidly.
8
这一切为乐购的进一步发展扫清了障碍。

zhè yī qiē wéi lè gòu de jìn yī bù fā zhǎn sǎo qīng le zhàng ài。

It all leaves the way clear for Tesco to power ahead.
9
他的病情发展得这么快,您是否感到意外?

tā de bìng qíng fā zhǎn dé zhè mó kuài, , nín shì fǒu gǎn dào yì?

Were you surprised that his disease progressed so quickly?
10
周末时丑闻有了新的发展。

zhōu mò shí chǒu wén yǒu le xīn de fā zhǎn。

The scandal took a new turn over the weekend.

Cultural Notes for 发展

🏮Cultural insight

In China, the concept of 发展 is deeply intertwined with the nation's rapid economic growth over the last few decades, often associated with the 'Chinese Dream' of modernization and prosperity.

Frequently Asked Questions about 发展

发展 (fāzhǎn) refers to broader development and growth, often in economic or social contexts, while 成长 (chéngzhǎng) typically describes personal growth or maturation.