列举

• Pinyin: liè jǔ
• Hanzi breakdown: 列 = 歹 + 刂 (arrange in sequence — cutting and ordering); 举 = 手 + 与 (raise up/present — lifting with both hands to offer)

Meaning

To enumerate; to list; to cite examples. To present items one by one in a systematic and explicit manner.

A common academic and analytical verb used when providing evidence, examples, or specifics to support an argument or description. More formal and systematic than simply 说 (say) or 提到 (mention). Frequently appears in academic papers, reports, speeches, and debates. Often followed by a list of items or examples introduced to substantiate a claim.

Examples

1. 报告列举了十二项影响企业可持续发展的关键因素，并逐一提出了改进建议。 The report listed twelve key factors affecting a company’s sustainable development and offered improvement recommendations one by one.
2. 辩护律师在法庭上列举了大量证据，证明其当事人在案发时不在现场。 In court, the defense attorney cited extensive evidence showing that his client was not at the scene when the crime occurred.
3. 她在演讲中列举了多个成功转型的企业案例，以此说明变革的可行性。 In her speech, she cited multiple cases of successful corporate transformation to demonstrate that change is feasible.

Usage Guide

Context: academic writing, legal arguments, presentations

Tone: analytical

Do Say

• 论文第三章列举了六组对照实验的数据，详细论证了假设的可靠性。(Chapter three of the thesis enumerates data from six sets of controlled experiments, providing detailed verification of the hypothesis's reliability.)
• 他在会议上列举了近五年来市场份额的变化趋势，为战略调整提供了有力依据。(He listed the market share trends over the past five years at the meeting, providing solid grounds for strategic adjustment.)

Don't Say

• 将'列举'与'提及'混用 — '列举'强调系统性地逐一呈现，而'提及'只是顺便一提，两者正式程度和系统性不同

Origin & History

列 (to arrange in a row/to rank — items placed in sequence) + 举 (to raise/to put forward — presenting items for consideration)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal