昭 (zhāo) - bright & clear

昭Tone 1

zhāo ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical: 日

丈志

昭 · zhāo

bright;

clear;

manifest;

to show;

to make evident

brightclearmanifest

Usage highlights

bright and clearevidentproclaim to the worlddemonstrate clearlyredress injusticeilluminate

Synonyms

  • 明— bright; clear
  • 亮— bright; shining
  • 显— manifest; evident

Antonyms

  • 暗— dark; obscure
  • 晦— dim; obscure
  • 隐— hidden; concealed

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The sun is bright and clear (昭昭).
  • His achievements are evident to all (昭著).
  • The emperor issued an edict to make it known to the world (昭告天下).
  • This serves as a clear warning (昭示).

Collocations

  • bright and clear(昭昭)
  • evident(昭著)
  • proclaim to the world(昭告天下)
  • demonstrate clearly(昭示)
  • redress injustice(昭雪)
  • illuminate(昭明)

Idioms

  • As clear as daylight(昭然若揭)
  • Evil deeds will be exposed(罪恶昭彰)
  • Redress grievances and rehabilitate reputations(昭冤雪枉)
  • Make one's intentions clear(昭明心意)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 昭 carries strong positive connotations of clarity, virtue, and justice in Chinese culture.
  • Historically used in imperial era names and titles to signify enlightened rule, such as Emperor Zhao of Han (汉昭帝).
  • Often appears in contexts related to moral clarity, legal justice, and making truths known.

FAQ