表彰
biǎo zhāng · HSK 7
to honor
🏆🎖️ 表 express + 彰 manifest = make merit obvious to all
彰 means clear or evident (as in 彰显). Together: to publicly express and make evident someones achievements — an official commendation.
表 — fur 毛 on top + garment 衣 below
Originally depicted an outer fur garment, with 毛 (fur) above 衣 (clothing), showing the hairy outside of a coat. From 'outer garment' it extended to mean 'outside, surface,' then 'to show, express, display,' and later 'table, chart' as something laid out on the surface.