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导演 (dǎo yǎn) — (verb) to direct (a film, play, TV show, etc.); (noun) director (of a film, play, etc.)

Definition

导演 (dǎoyǎn) means the director of a film, play, or TV show — the person who directs it. Unlike 经理 (a company/business manager) or 主任 (head of an office), 导演 is specific to film and stage productions.

verb
to direct (a film, play, TV show, etc.)
noun
director (of a film, play, etc.)
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 导演。
    Zhè bù diàn shì jù shì zhāng yì móu dǎo yǎn de.
    This TV series was directed by Zhang Yimou.
  • 导演。
    Nà wèi dǎo yǎn zhèng zài gēn yǎn yuán tǎo lùn jù běn.
    That director is discussing the script with the actors.
  • 导演。
    Tā dǎo yǎn guò hěn duō chéng gōng de diàn yǐng.
    He has directed many successful films.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

导dǎodirect
演yǎnperformance

导 means to direct and 演 points to a performance; together they mean one who directs performances.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 導; 导 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
寸寸cùnhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
道
道dào導
Same sound today

The traditional form 導 pairs 道 (path) as the sound part with 寸 (hand), giving the sense of leading someone. The simplified 导 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical components.

Open 导 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
寅
寅yín演yǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

演 pairs 氵 (water) with 寅, which gives the sound yín.

Open 演 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5Film & Theater

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