突出

• Pinyin: tū chū
• Hanzi breakdown: 突 = 穴 (cave) + 犬 (dog) — a dog rushing out of a hole; 出 = pictograph of a foot stepping out

Meaning

Outstanding; prominent; to stand out. Describes something noticeably superior or physically protruding.

Used both literally (physically protruding) and figuratively (exceptional performance). In figurative use, it often appears in formal assessments such as 成绩突出 (outstanding results) or 表现突出 (outstanding performance). As a verb, it means to highlight or emphasise.

Examples

1. 她在这次比赛中表现非常突出。 She performed exceptionally in this competition.
2. 我们要突出这个项目的重点。 We need to highlight the key points of this project.
3. 他的工作能力在团队中很突出。 His work ability really stands out in the team.

Usage Guide

Context: academic, work, evaluation

Tone: commendatory

Do Say

• 他的成绩非常突出。(His results are very outstanding.)
• 这篇文章突出了环保的重要性。(This article highlights the importance of environmental protection.)

Don't Say

• 今天的天气很突出。(Don't use 突出 to describe weather — it means 'outstanding' or 'prominent', not 'excellent'. Use 好 instead.)

Origin & History

突 means 'to rush out' or 'sudden' and 出 means 'to come out'. Together they describe something that stands out or emerges prominently.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal