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教导 (jiào dǎo) — to instruct; to teach; to guide; to give guidance

Definition

A formal verb meaning 'to instruct / to guide' someone in morals, skills, or life — emphasizes shaping the person's character over just teaching content, more formal than 教.

verb
to instructto teachto guideto give guidance

Examples

  • 教导。
    Lǎo shī nài xīn dì jiào dǎo xué shēng rú hé zuò shí yàn.
    The teacher patiently instructed the students on how to do the experiment.
  • 教导。
    Fù mǔ cóng xiǎo jiào dǎo wǒ men yào chéng shí shǒu xìn.
    Our parents taught us from a young age to be honest and trustworthy.
  • 教导。
    Tā yǐ zì jǐ de jīng yàn jiào dǎo nián qīng rén.
    He used his own experience to guide young people.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

教jiàoteach
导dǎoguide

教 (teach) and 导 (guide) combine as teach and guide.

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
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 →

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
School & Education

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