展 means “unfold, exhibit, develop”

てん · ten

Also: expand

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

テン

JLPT N1 · Taught in grade 6 · 10 strokes

The story

A body (尸) over the hem of a robe (the lower half of 衣): picture a kimono spread open for display. 展 is to unfold and show: 展示 is an exhibit, 展望台 an observation deck, and 発展 is growth, a country unfolding.

Used in 発展 (hatten, development/growth), 展示 (tenji, exhibit/display), and 展開 (tenkai, development/unfolding)

More from Grow & Wane

• 張 stretch
• 拡 expand
• 盛 heap up
• 興 interest
• 縮 shrink
• 充 fill
• 隆 rise
• 茂 grow thick
• 繁 thriving
• 尽 run out
• 膨 swell
• 殖 multiply

Learn 展 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.