(fā míng) - to invent; invention in Mandarin
fāmíngTraditional: 發明
Translation
to invent; invention
Word origin
A compound of 发 (fā, to send out, to bring forth) and 明 (míng, bright, clear), so literally to bring something into the light.
- Origin
- compound
- Root
- 发 (fā, to bring forth) + 明 (míng, bright)
Stroke order
发
明
Examples
？
Who invented the telephone?
。
This invention changed many people's lives.
。
Even as a child he liked inventing little gadgets.
。
Paper was invented by the Chinese.
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The company made a great deal of money from this invention.
发明 (fā míng) is to invent, and the same two syllables serve as the noun invention. No ending changes: 他发明了一台机器 and 这个发明很重要 use the identical word.
Its measure word as a noun is 项 or 个, and it takes 了 readily because inventing is a completed act: 是谁发明了电话？
The trap is the pair 发明 and 发现. English keeps invent and discover apart too, but learners reach for the wrong one because both start with 发. 发明 makes something that did not exist before; 发现 finds something that was already there. Columbus 发现了美洲; Bell 发明了电话. And the English idiom "invent an excuse" does not carry over at all - for making something up you want 编 or 找个借口.
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发明: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "发明" (to invent; invention): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 56.