导航 (dǎo háng) — to navigate; to provide navigation guidance

Definition

Modern term for digital/device navigation (GPS, apps, car systems). Unlike 航行 or 航海, it refers to guided wayfinding technology, not sailing or flying itself.

verb

to navigateto provide navigation guidance

Examples

导航，。
Dǎ kāi shǒu jī shàng de dǎo háng ruǎn jiàn, shū rù mù dì dì.
Open the navigation app on your phone and enter the destination.
导航，。
Zhè liàng chē kě yǐ zì dòng dǎo háng, bù xū yào shǒu dòng cāo zuò.
This car can navigate automatically; no manual operation is needed.
，导航。
Méi yǒu wǎng luò de shí hou, dǎo háng gōng néng kě néng huì shòu yǐng xiǎng.
Without internet, the navigation function may be affected.

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

航hángsailing

导 (guide) and 航 (sailing) combine to mean guiding a route.

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.

道寸導

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.

舟亢航

Meaning part形符xíngfú

舟舟zhōuboat

Sound part声符shēngfú

亢

亢kàng航háng

Same sound today

航 shows a boat with 舟, and 亢 gives the character its sound.

Open 航 →

Appears in