张扬

• Pinyin: zhāng yáng
• Hanzi breakdown: 张 = 弓 + 长 (to spread); 扬 = 扌 + 昜 (to raise/publicize)

Meaning

To publicize; to flaunt; to be ostentatious. To deliberately draw attention to oneself or spread information.

Can be negative (showing off, bragging) or neutral (making something known). As an adjective, describes a showy personality: 性格张扬. Opposite of 低调 (low-key). Common in: 张扬个性, 大肆张扬.

Examples

1. 他为人低调，从不张扬自己的成就和财富。 He’s low-key and never shows off his achievements or wealth.
2. 这件事还没定下来，请暂时不要张扬出去。 This isn’t settled yet, so please don’t spread it around for now.
3. 年轻人喜欢穿张扬的服饰来展现自己的个性。 Young people like to wear flashy clothes to show their personality.

Usage Guide

Context: personality, information, style

Tone: neutral/slightly negative

Do Say

• 低调做人，不必事事张扬，实力才是最好的证明。(Keep a low profile, no need to flaunt everything — ability is the best proof.)
• 她的穿衣风格非常张扬，总能吸引众人的目光。(Her clothing style is very flamboyant and always attracts everyone's attention.)

Don't Say

• 张扬消息 — while technically possible, 传播 or 散布 is more natural for spreading news

Origin & History

张 (to spread/expand) + 扬 (to raise/publicize)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal