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Comparing 显得 ("xian3de") and 看起来 ("kan4qi3lai2")

Comparing 显得 ("xian3de") and 看起来 ("kan4qi3lai2")

显得 xiǎnde

Grammar

HSK 4

Structure

A + 显得 + B + Predicate Subj. + 看起来 + Predicate

Definition

“显得”和“看起来”都表示从某方面观察到某种状态或印象，但“显得”更强调客观事实或比较的结果，而“看起来”更侧重于主观判断或观察者的视角。

Both '显得' and '看起来' indicate an observed state or impression, but '显得' emphasizes objective facts or comparative results, while '看起来' focuses on subjective judgment or the observer's perspective.

Usage

“显得”常用于比较或描述因某种条件而呈现出的明显特征，后面常接形容词； “看起来”用于表达根据外表或初步印象得出的看法，后面可接形容词、动词短语或句子。两者有时可互换，但侧重点不同。

'显得' is often used to express a noticeable characteristic due to certain conditions, usually followed by an adjective; '看起来' is used to express an opinion based on appearance or first impression, followed by an adjective, verb phrase, or sentence. They can sometimes be interchangeable but differ in nuance.

Examples

1 她穿这件衣服显得很年轻。(She looks young wearing this dress.)
2 他看起来似乎很累。(He looks tired.)
3 房间打扫后显得宽敞多了。(After cleaning, the room looks much more spacious.)
4 这句话看起来很简单，但实际含义很深。(This sentence seems simple, but its meaning is profound.)
5 他显得很自信，但心里其实很紧张。(He appears very confident, but internally he is very nervous.)
6 这道菜看起来很好吃，我们来尝尝吧。(This dish looks delicious, let's try it.)

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