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liánhéSide by side

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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