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指教 (zhǐ jiào) — (polite) to give advice or comments

Definition

A polite verb meaning 'to give advice or comments,' used to humbly ask for guidance (e.g. 请您指教). It is fixed in this courteous tone — not a neutral word for commenting.

verb
(polite) to give advice or comments

Examples

  • 指教。
    Qǐng nín duō zhǐ jiào.
    Please give us more advice.
  • 指教。
    Lǎo shī zhǐ jiào le xué shēng de zuò wén.
    The teacher gave advice on the students' essays.
  • 指教。
    Xī wàng nín néng zhǐ jiào yí xià wǒ de shè jì.
    I hope you can give some comments on my design.

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zhǐinstruct
教jiàoteach

指 and 教 both convey instructing, together meaning to give advice.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
子子zǐchild
攵Written in full as攴pūteaching cane; stick that represents authority
Sound part声符shēngfú
爻
爻yáo教jiào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

教 uses 爻 for its sound and puts 子 (child) with 攵 (攴), a teaching cane, to show teaching a child.

Open 教 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Communication & SpeechGreetings & Politeness

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