distinguish
Definitions
To recognize or point out the difference between things.
区分，辨别
To be a feature that makes someone or something different from others.
使有别于，成为……的特征
To make oneself noticeable through excellence (distinguish oneself).
使杰出，使出众
Root Breakdown
Root-deriveddis- (apart) + stinguere (to prick) = 'prick apart.' The original act was notching things with separate marks so you could tell one from another. That gives both senses: to distinguish A from B is to perceive their separate marks; to distinguish yourself is to be so clearly marked off by achievement that you stand out.
Root stinct still carries 42 more wordsCommon Collocations
- 1.distinguish between在……之间区分
- 2.distinguish from把……与……区分
- 3.hard to distinguish难以区分
- 4.distinguish oneself使自己出众
- 5.clearly distinguish清楚地区分
Example Sentences
- 1.
Young children sometimes struggle to distinguish fantasy from reality.
- 2.
What distinguishes this restaurant is its handmade pasta.
- 3.
She distinguished herself as one of the best surgeons in the country.
Easily Confused
distinguish vs differentiate — Both mean 'tell apart,' but distinguish is about perceiving an existing difference (I can distinguish the twins), while differentiate often means to make or create a difference (a brand differentiates itself, cells differentiate). Spotting a difference → distinguish; producing one → differentiate.