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开导 (kāi dǎo) — to enlighten, to talk someone round, to give gentle guidance (to someone confused or troubled)

Definition

To console and counsel someone who is upset or confused, helping them see things more clearly. Implies patient talking-through, not a quick pep talk.

verb
to enlightento talk someone roundto give gentle guidance (to someone confused or troubled)

Examples

  • ，开导。
    Tā xīn qíng bù hǎo, wǒ qù kāi dǎo tā.
    She's in a bad mood, I'll go and comfort / enlighten her.
  • 开导，。
    Lǎo shī nài xīn dì kāi dǎo xué shēng, ràng tā men míng bai le dào lǐ.
    The teacher patiently enlightened the students and made them understand the reasoning.
  • 开导，。
    Péng you zhī jiān yīng gāi hù xiāng kāi dǎo, ér bú shì hù xiāng zhǐ zé.
    Friends should enlighten each other, not blame each other.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

开kāiopen
导dǎoguide

"开" opens the mind, and "导" guides it, together giving gentle enlightenment.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
  • 廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →

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
Communication & Speech

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