陈列
chénliè · HSK 7
display
🏛️ chén-liè sounds like Chen lay — Chen lays out rows for the exhibit
陈 means arrange or spread out, 列 means row or line. Together they describe setting things in orderly rows — exactly what you do when mounting a display.
列 — 歹 (bone fragments) + 刂 (knife)
Originally depicted cutting bones apart with a knife, showing the act of separating things into pieces. The meaning extended from 'to divide' to 'arrange in a row' or 'sequence,' since dividing items naturally produces an ordered series. Today it primarily means 'row,' 'line,' or 'to list.'