manifest

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The on reading is けん, and the kun readings are あきらか and あらわれる. It has 18 strokes. It appears in words for marked changes and microscopes.
• Basic usage: 顕著 is read けんちょ and 顕微鏡 is read けんびきょう.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 顕著 / 顕微鏡
  • 顕著 means marked or pronounced and is read けんちょ. It describes an improvement or regional difference as clearly marked.
  • 練習を続けるうちに顕著な上達が見られた。 means “Continued practice produced a marked improvement.”
  • 顕微鏡 means microscope and is read けんびきょう. It refers to a microscope used to observe things such as tiny spores.
  • 顕微鏡で小さな胞子を観察した。 means “We observed tiny spores under a microscope.”