揚

1. Physical Elevation: To lift, raise, or hoist (e.g., banners, hands, sails).

2. Diffusion and Scattering: To spread, scatter, or disseminate intangible things—such as dust, seeds, scents, sounds, or rumors—through the air.

3. Social/Abstract Elevation: To praise, extol, or glorify; to make a name or reputation prominent.

Primarily functions as a transitive verb. In later classical prose, the image of hoisting sails (揚帆) frequently serves as a metaphor for embarking on a new venture or seizing a favorable opportunity.

Contrast with 舉 (jǔ): while both involve lifting, 舉 is generally a deliberate, controlled lift; 揚 implies that once the object is raised, it remains aloft, disperses, or becomes visible to others. Additionally, 揚 describes the action of raising/spreading rather than the resulting state of being elevated.

Simplified variant: U+626C.