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领导 (lǐng dǎo) — (verb) to lead, to guide; (noun) leader, leadership

Definition

Both a verb ('to lead/guide') and a noun for the person or role of leader. Versus 领先 (be ahead in a competition), 领导 is the general leader-of-people sense, not a sports/tech lead.

verb
to leadto guide
noun
leaderleadership
Measure word · 位, 个

Examples

  • 领导。
    Zhè wèi lǐng dǎo hěn yǒu jīng yàn.
    This leader is very experienced.
  • 领导。
    Tā lǐng dǎo wǒ men wán chéng le rèn wu.
    He led us to complete the task.
  • 领导。
    Xīn de lǐng dǎo jì huà ràng dà jiā gèng nǔ lì.
    The new leadership plan made everyone work harder.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

领lǐnglead
导dǎoguide

领 and 导 both carry leading or guiding, so 领导 means to lead or a leader.

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 領; 领 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yè
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng領lǐng
Same sound today

The traditional form 領 has 令 as a sound part and 頁 as a meaning part; the simplified 领 is a later shorthand.

Open 领 →

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 →
Appears in
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