展开
zhǎnkāi · HSK 3
unfold
📂 展 = unfold/exhibit + 开 = open; together: unfold-open = spread out
展 on its own means to unfold or display (as in 展览, exhibition), and 开 means to open. The compound 展开 stacks the two near-synonyms to mean spread out, unfold, or launch (an activity).
开 — two hands 廾 + door 门 (open gate)
Originally written 開, showing two hands (廾) lifting the bar (一) off a gate (門) to open it. The simplified form 开 keeps the two-hands element and drops the gate. Core meaning 'to open' extended to 'start, operate, bloom'.