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指挥 (zhǐ huī) — to conduct, to command, to direct; conductor (of an orchestra); commander; director

Definition

指挥 is 'to command / direct' (verb) or the 'commander / conductor' (noun), with a military or performance focus. Among siblings, 导演 is specifically for films/plays, and 经理/主任/董事/理事 are administrative titles — not commanding roles.

to conductto commandto directconductor (of an orchestra)commanderdirector
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 。
    Tā zhǐ huī le yí gè yuè duì.
    He conducted a band.
  • 指挥。
    Jǐng chá zhǐ huī jiāo tōng.
    The police are directing traffic.
  • 指挥。
    Zhè wèi zhǐ huī hěn yǒu jīng yàn.
    This conductor is very experienced.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

指zhǐpoint
挥huīwave

指 means point and 挥 means wave, as in directing with gestures, hence command or conduct.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
旨
旨zhǐ指zhǐ
Same sound today

The left part 扌 is the hand form 手. The right part 旨 gives the sound.

Open 指 →

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 揮; 挥 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
軍
軍jūn揮huī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 揮 pairs 扌 (hand) with 軍 as a sound part; the simplified 挥 is a shorthand, so its right side is not the historical component.

Open 挥 →
Appears in
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