顕著

• Reading: けんちょ
• Romaji: kencho
• Kanji breakdown: 顕 (ken) — manifest, clearly visible; 著 (cho) — notable, conspicuous, striking
• Pronunciation: /ken.tɕo/

Meaning

Remarkable; conspicuous; notable; striking. Describes a difference, trend, or result that is clearly and undeniably apparent.

A na-adjective used especially in academic, journalistic, and analytical writing to assert that a phenomenon is clearly measurable and hard to dismiss. Unlike 著しい (striking, pronounced), 顕著 is more neutral in tone and commonly paired with statistical or observational evidence. Frequently used in research reports, news analysis, and policy documents.

Examples

1. この地域では気温上昇の影響が顕著に現れている。 The effects of rising temperatures are remarkably evident in this region.
2. 新薬の効果は対照群と比べて顕著な差として確認された。 The effectiveness of the new drug was confirmed as a notable difference compared to the control group.
3. 新政策の効果が最も顕著に表れたのは若年層の雇用率だった。 The area where the new policy's effects were most conspicuous was the youth employment rate.

Usage Guide

Context: academic writing, journalism, policy analysis, scientific reports

Tone: analytical, objective

Origin & History

Chinese compound. 顕 (ken) means to make manifest or clearly visible; 著 (cho) means notable, conspicuous, or striking. Together they express something that is made clearly visible and impossible to overlook.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Academic/Professional