Sentence #9423287 from Tatoeba · translation adapted
How 发现 is built
Each colour is one part of the character. Parts repeat across thousands of characters, so learning them makes new words easier. See all 214 in our radicals chart.
发fāto send out
发 is a single shape of 5 strokes. Learn it whole, then watch its stroke order below.
现xiànto appear
王king · wáng
见to see · jiàn
Memory aid王 here is jade 玉, and 见 gives the sound (it was once also read xiàn, “to appear”). Picture jade catching the eye: to appear, now.
How to write 发现
发 5 strokes · 现 8 strokes
Watch the order, then press Try writing it and draw each stroke in the grid. Each stroke is checked as you go.
Stroke order chart for 发现 (fāxiàn). Red marks the next stroke, so you can copy it onto paper one step at a time.
发现 (fāxiàn) means “discover” or “to find”. It is an HSK 3 word.
Say it fāxiàn: fā with a 1st tone, then xiàn with a 4th tone. Press Listen at the top of this page to hear it, or Slowly to hear each tone clearly.
In Traditional characters, used in Taiwan and Hong Kong, 发现 is written 發現. The pronunciation is the same.
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type faxian with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 发现 from the suggestions. Typing faxian into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
发现 is an HSK 3 word in the HSK 2.0 word lists.
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Sources: meaning and pinyin checked by a native Mandarin teacher against the official HSK lists. Extra meanings from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0). Example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). Character parts and stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi.