shíxiàn: 实现 - To Realize, Achieve, Implement

• Keywords: shixian, 实现, what does shixian mean, realize in Chinese, achieve in Chinese, implement in Chinese, bring about, make come true, Chinese word for goal, Chinese word for dream, HSK 4 vocabulary, learn Chinese.
• Summary: The Chinese verb 实现 (shíxiàn) means “to realize,” “to achieve,” or “to implement.” It's a powerful word used to describe the process of turning an abstract concept—like a dream, goal, or plan—into a concrete reality. Whether you want to talk about achieving personal dreams or implementing a business strategy in Chinese, understanding shíxiàn is essential for expressing ambition and accomplishment.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shíxiàn
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To make something (a goal, dream, or plan) become a reality.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 实现 (shíxiàn) as the bridge between an idea and its existence in the real world. It's the active verb for “making it happen.” It carries a sense of purpose, effort, and successful completion. If you have a dream (梦想), you work hard to 实现 it. If a company has a goal (目标), it creates a plan to 实现 it.

• 实 (shí): This character means “real,” “true,” “solid,” or “actual.” It's composed of a roof (宀) over a representation of valuable objects (贯), symbolizing something solid and tangible—like real assets under one's roof.
• 现 (xiàn): This character means “to appear,” “to manifest,” or “present.” It's formed by the “jade” radical (王, a simplified form of 玉) and the character for “to see” (见). The combination suggests something valuable (like jade) appearing before your eyes.
• Together, 实现 (shíxiàn) literally means “to make real and appear.” This beautifully captures the essence of taking something from the realm of thought or aspiration and making it manifest in the physical world.

实现 (shíxiàn) is a cornerstone of modern Chinese ambition, both on a personal and a national level. It reflects a proactive, goal-oriented mindset that is highly valued in contemporary Chinese society. A key cultural concept tied to this word is the 中国梦 (Zhōngguó Mèng), or the “Chinese Dream.” This national aspiration, frequently mentioned in media and politics, is all about the collective goal to 实现 national rejuvenation and prosperity. This usage elevates 实现 from a simple verb to a word loaded with patriotic and societal importance. In contrast to Western concepts, 实现 holds a unique position.

• “Realize” vs. 实现: In English, “realize” most often means to become aware of something (“I realized I forgot my keys”). This is a major false friend. 实现 *never* means mental awareness; it exclusively refers to bringing something into existence. The Chinese word for mental realization is 意识到 (yìshidào).
• “Achieve” vs. 实现: “Achieve” is a close synonym, but 实现 often implies a grander scale or a more profound transformation. You achieve a milestone, but you 实现 a lifelong dream.
• “Implement” vs. 实现: “Implement” is also similar but sounds more procedural and corporate in English (“implement a new software system”). 实现 can be used in this context but also carries the more personal, emotional weight of fulfilling an aspiration.

In essence, 实现 connects the dots between individual hard work (努力), personal dreams (梦想), and grand national goals (目标).

实现 is a versatile and common verb used across various domains. Its connotation is almost always positive, as it signifies success and fulfillment.

• In Personal Life: This is the go-to word for talking about personal goals and dreams.
  • “我希望能实现我的梦想。” (Wǒ xīwàng néng shíxiàn wǒ de mèngxiǎng.) - “I hope to realize my dream.”
• In Business and Work: It's standard vocabulary for discussing targets, plans, and strategies.
  • “我们今年的目标是实现盈利。” (Wǒmen jīnnián de mùbiāo shì shíxiàn yínglì.) - “Our goal this year is to achieve profitability.”
• In Technology: It is used to mean “to implement” a feature or function.
  • “工程师们正在研究如何实现这个新功能。” (Gōngchéngshīmen zhèngzài yánjiū rúhé shíxiàn zhège xīn gōngnéng.) - “The engineers are researching how to implement this new feature.”
• In Formal/Political Discourse: As mentioned, it's central to discussions about national policy and development.
  • “为了实现可持续发展…” (Wèile shíxiàn kě chíxù fāzhǎn…) - “In order to achieve sustainable development…”

• Example 1:
  • 他努力工作，终于实现了儿时的梦想。
  • Pinyin: Tā nǔlì gōngzuò, zhōngyú shíxiàn le érshí de mèngxiǎng.
  • English: He worked hard and finally realized his childhood dream.
  • Analysis: A classic example showing the connection between effort (努力) and realizing a dream (梦想). The particle “了 (le)” indicates the completion of the action.
• Example 2:
  • 只要我们团结一致，就一定能实现我们的目标。
  • Pinyin: Zhǐyào wǒmen tuánjié yīzhì, jiù yīdìng néng shíxiàn wǒmen de mùbiāo.
  • English: As long as we are united, we can definitely achieve our goal.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the conditional nature of achievement. “只要…就…” (zhǐyào…jiù…) is a common structure meaning “as long as…then…”.
• Example 3:
  • 这个计划听起来不错，但很难实现。
  • Pinyin: Zhège jìhuà tīng qǐlái bùcuò, dàn hěn nán shíxiàn.
  • English: This plan sounds good, but it is difficult to implement/achieve.
  • Analysis: 实现 is often paired with “难 (nán)” or “容易 (róngyì)” to talk about the difficulty of achieving something.
• Example 4:
  • 恭喜你！你的愿望实现了！
  • Pinyin: Gōngxǐ nǐ! Nǐ de yuànwàng shíxiàn le!
  • English: Congratulations! Your wish came true!
  • Analysis: Shows a more passive-like structure where the “wish” is the subject that “was realized” or “came true.”
• Example 5:
  • 公司需要新的策略来实现销售增长。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī xūyào xīn de cèlüè lái shíxiàn xiāoshòu zēngzhǎng.
  • English: The company needs a new strategy to achieve sales growth.
  • Analysis: A typical business context. “来 (lái)” here means “in order to.”
• Example 6:
  • 这个项目的主要目的是实现资源共享。
  • Pinyin: Zhège xiàngmù de zhǔyào mùdì shì shíxiàn zīyuán gòngxiǎng.
  • English: The main purpose of this project is to bring about resource sharing.
  • Analysis: Here, 实现 is used as the verb in a “Subject is Predicate” sentence, where the predicate is the action of “realizing resource sharing.”
• Example 7:
  • 为了实现现代化，国家投入了大量资金。
  • Pinyin: Wèile shíxiàn xiàndàihuà, guójiā tóurùle dàliàng zījīn.
  • English: In order to achieve modernization, the country invested a large amount of capital.
  • Analysis: “为了… (wèile…)” means “in order to…” and clearly states the purpose for an action. This is a very common sentence pattern with 实现.
• Example 8:
  • 在技术上，我们完全可以实现这一点。
  • Pinyin: Zài jìshù shàng, wǒmen wánquán kěyǐ shíxiàn zhè yīdiǎn.
  • English: Technologically speaking, we are fully capable of implementing this.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates its use in a technical context, equivalent to “implement” or “make something technically possible.”
• Example 9:
  • 如果没有你的帮助，我不可能实现今天的成就。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ méiyǒu nǐ de bāngzhù, wǒ bù kěnéng shíxiàn jīntiān de chéngjiù.
  • English: Without your help, it would have been impossible for me to attain today's achievements.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses 实现 to mean “attain” or “get” achievements (成就). It shows gratitude and acknowledges the difficulty.
• Example 10:
  • 他的一生都在为实现自己的理想而奋斗。
  • Pinyin: Tā de yīshēng dōu zài wèi shíxiàn zìjǐ de lǐxiǎng ér fèndòu.
  • English: He has strived his entire life to realize his own ideals.
  • Analysis: A powerful, formal sentence showing deep commitment. “为…而奋斗 (wèi…ér fèndòu)” means “to strive for…”

• False Friend Alert: “Realize” vs. 实现 (shíxiàn)
  • The most common mistake for English speakers is using 实现 to mean “to become aware of.”
  • Incorrect: 我实现我忘了带钱包。(Wǒ shíxiàn wǒ wàngle dài qiánbāo.)
  • Correct: 我意识到我忘了带钱包。(Wǒ yìshidào wǒ wàngle dài qiánbāo.) - “I realized/became aware that I forgot my wallet.”
  • Remember: 实现 is about making something happen in the outside world, not inside your head.
• 实现 (shíxiàn) vs. 达到 (dádào)
  • 实现 is for realizing a holistic goal, plan, or dream. (e.g., 实现梦想 - realize a dream).
  • 达到 (dádào) is for “reaching” or “attaining” a specific level, standard, or number. It's more about hitting a pre-set mark. (e.g., 达到标准 - meet the standard; 达到100万 - reach 1 million).
  • You can often use either for `目标` (goal), but 实现目标 feels more like “making the goal a reality,” while 达到目标 feels more like “reaching the target.”

• 目标 (mùbiāo) - Goal, target. This is the what you want to 实现.
• 梦想 (mèngxiǎng) - Dream, aspiration. A more personal and often grander type of goal to 实现.
• 完成 (wánchéng) - To complete, to finish. More focused on finishing a defined task, like homework or a report. It's about getting to the end, whereas 实现 is about bringing something to life.
• 达到 (dádào) - To reach, to attain. Used for hitting specific, often quantifiable, benchmarks. A useful term to contrast with 实现.
• 成功 (chénggōng) - To succeed; success. 实现 is the action of making a goal happen; 成功 is the result of that action.
• 实施 (shíshī) - To implement, to carry out. A more formal synonym for 实现, often used for official plans, policies, and laws.
• 做到 (zuòdào) - To manage to do, to accomplish. More focused on the capability and the action itself. “I said I'd do it and I did it” is `说到做到`. It's less grand than 实现.
• 意识 到 (yìshidào) - To realize, to be aware of. The “mental realization” verb that is the crucial “false friend” to avoid confusing with 实现.
• 愿望 (yuànwàng) - A wish, a hope. Something you hope can 实现.