导读 (dǎo dòu) — reading guide; introductory guide (to a book or a subject)

Definition

noun
reading guideintroductory guide (to a book or a subject)

Examples

  • 导读。
    Zhè běn shū de dǎo dòu xiě dé fēi cháng xiáng xì.
    The reading guide for this book is written in great detail.
  • 导读。
    Shàng kè qián qǐng xiān kàn yí biàn dǎo dòu.
    Please read the study guide once before class.
  • 导读。
    Lǎo shī ràng wǒ men měi rén xiě yì piān kè chéng dǎo dòu.
    The teacher asked each of us to write a course reading guide.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

导dǎoguide
读dúread

导 means to guide, and 读 names reading, so the word points to a guide that leads someone through a text.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 讀; 读 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánto say
Sound part声符shēngfú
𧶠
𧶠𧶠讀dú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 讀 is made of 言 ('to say') and 𧶠 (giving the sound); this description is about 讀, not 读.

Open 读 →

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