显
xiǎn · HSK 5
to make visible; to reveal
🔆 显 = 日 (sun) + 㬎 — sunlight makes things visible
Top 日 is the sun; the lower component originally showed silk threads under bright light. Bright sun reveals what was hidden — hence 'manifest, be obvious, appear'. Common in 明显 (obvious) and 显示 (display).
显 — sun 日 + head/page 頁 (simplified from 顯)
Originally 顯, showing a head 頁 looking at silk threads under the sun 日, suggesting things made visible or apparent. The meaning extended from 'clearly seen' to 'manifest, evident, prominent.' Simplified to 显 by reducing the silk-and-head element to a small mark beneath 日.