导 (dǎo) — (bound morpheme) to lead; to guide; to direct; to conduct
Definition
Bound morpheme meaning 'to lead, guide, direct, conduct' — it does not stand alone and must attach to a prefix to form a word (领导 lead, 指导 guide, 导演 director, 导论 introduction). It carries the sense of moving or pointing someone/something forward.
bound form
(bound morpheme) to leadto guideto directto conduct
Examples
- 。Zhè wèi lǐng dǎo hěn yǒu néng lì.This leader is very capable.
- 。Lǎo shī zài nài xīn dì zhǐ dǎo xué shēng.The teacher is patiently guiding students.
- 。Zhè bù diàn yǐng de dǎo yǎn hěn yǒu míng.The director of this film is very famous.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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.
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.
Appears in
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