显生代

顯生代

Xiǎnshēngdài

noun

Meanings

1 Phanerozoic eon (geological era from c. 540 million years ago to present)

Characters

visible / apparent

Examples

显生代分为三个代。

Xiǎnshēngdài fēn wéi sān ge dài.

The Phanerozoic is divided into three eras.

我们生活在显生代的新生代。

Wǒmen shēnghuó zài Xiǎnshēngdài de Xīnshēngdài.

We live in the Cenozoic era of the Phanerozoic eon.

Tips

memory

显 'visible' + 生 'life' + 代 'era' — 'era of visible life,' an exact translation of Greek 'phaneros + zoe.' The eon when fossil-bearing complex life first becomes obvious in the rock record, starting with the Cambrian explosion.

Stroke Order

显 xiǎn

生 shēng

代 dài