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指导 (zhǐ dǎo) — to guide; to direct; to coach

Definition

指导 is 'to guide or coach' someone in a task or skill, like a teacher or expert leading a learner. Unlike 指挥 (command/conduct a group) or 辅导 (tutor in schoolwork), it focuses on giving direction in an activity rather than ordering or teaching lessons.

verb
to guideto directto coach
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 指导。
    Jiào liàn zhǐ dǎo tā liàn xí pǎo bù.
    The coach guided him in practicing running.
  • 指导。
    Lǎo shī zǐ xì zhǐ dǎo wǒ men xiě zuò wén.
    The teacher carefully guided us in writing compositions.
  • 指导。
    Gōng sī qǐng zhuān jiā zhǐ dǎo xīn yuán gōng.
    The company invited experts to guide the new employees.

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
导dǎolead

指 means point and 导 means lead; together they express guiding or directing.

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 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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