扩展

• Pinyin: kuò zhǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 扩 = 扌(hand radical) + 广 (phonetic component); 展 = 尸 (body radical) + 共 (phonetic component, spreading)

Meaning

To expand; to extend; to broaden. Refers to stretching something outward in reach, scope, or capacity.

扩展 is similar to 扩大 but often implies spreading outward or extending in reach rather than simply growing in size. It is commonly used in technology contexts (expanding a network, expanding storage), as well as for extending skills, territory, or market reach.

Examples

1. 这款软件支持扩展功能，用户可以根据需要添加插件。 This software supports expanded functionality — users can add plugins as needed.
2. 他们正在积极扩展业务范围，进入新的市场。 They are actively expanding their business scope and entering new markets.
3. 学好英语可以帮助你扩展视野，了解更多不同的文化。 Learning English well can help you broaden your horizons and understand more cultures.

Usage Guide

Context: technology, business, education, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 公司计划扩展到更多城市。(The company plans to expand to more cities.)
• 你可以通过阅读来扩展词汇量。(You can expand your vocabulary through reading.)

Don't Say

• 我们要扩展生产规模 (Don't confuse 扩展 with 扩大 — for growing scale or size, 扩大 is more natural; 扩展 emphasises extending outward reach into new areas)

Origin & History

扩 (to broaden) and 展 (to spread out, to unfold) combine to describe the act of stretching outward. 展 carries the image of unrolling something, giving 扩展 a sense of spreading across a surface or into new territory.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal