宣称 xuānchēng to assert
to assert; to claim
How to remember 宣称: 宣 to proclaim + 称 balanced = to assert.
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How it is used
- To claim / assert publicly - often with a hint of skepticism about the claim - 他宣称自己无罪 (tā xuānchēng zìjǐ wúzuì) he claims he's innocent.
- Common in news reporting to attribute a statement without endorsing it, like English 'claims that…'.
- Contrast 声称 (shēngchēng), a very close synonym; both flag an unverified assertion, vs 宣布 which reports an official fact.