導 meaning and stroke order
To direct, to guide, to lead, to conduct
How to write 導, stroke by stroke
15 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 導
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to transmit
- to lead
- to guide
- to conduct
- to direct
How 導 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A hand 寸 pointing the way to someplace 道.
Radical: 寸 (inch), shared by 18 characters on this site.
How to remember 導
導 puts a hand 寸 under the road 道. Picture a hand pointing the way down the road to guide someone.
導 (dǎo) is almost always used in two-character words about leading or guiding, such as 導演 (dǎoyǎn, director), 領導 (lǐngdǎo, leader) and 導遊 (dǎoyóu, tour guide). It also means "to conduct" in science, as in 導電 (dǎodiàn, to conduct electricity). Example: 他是一位電影導演。(Tā shì yí wèi diànyǐng dǎoyǎn.) He is a film director.
Common mistake: Learners often write 道 (dào) when they mean 導 (dǎo), because the top half is the same and the sounds are close. Remember that 導 has the hand 寸 at the bottom and takes the third tone, while 道 (dào, road or way) is fourth tone.
Common words with 導
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 導演 | dǎoyǎn | to direct; director (film etc) | HSK 3 |
| 領導 | lǐngdǎo | lead; leading | HSK 3 |
| 指導 | zhǐdǎo | to guide; to direct; to instruct; coach; trainer | HSK 3 |
| 導致 | dǎozhì | to lead to; to create; to cause; to bring about | HSK 4 |
| 引導 | yǐndǎo | to guide; to lead (around) | HSK 4 |
| 導遊 | dǎoyóu | tour guide; guidebook | HSK 4 |
| 嚮導 | xiàngdǎo | guide | HSK 5 |
| 主導 | zhǔdǎo | leading; dominant | HSK 5 |
| 倡導 | chàngdǎo | to advocate; to initiate | HSK 5 |
| 導彈 | dǎodàn | (guided) missile | HSK 7-9 |
| 導師 | dǎoshī | tutor; teacher | HSK 7-9 |
| 誤導 | wùdǎo | to mislead; to misguide | HSK 7-9 |
| 導航 | dǎoháng | (lit. and fig.) to navigate | HSK 7-9 |
| 輔導 | fǔdǎo | to guide; to mentor; to counsel; to coach; to tutor | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 導
How many strokes are in 導?
導 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 導 mean?
導 (dǎo) means to direct, to guide, to lead, to conduct. A common word with it is 导演 (dǎoyǎn), meaning "to direct; director (film etc)".
How do you pronounce 導?
導 is pronounced dǎo, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 導?
The radical of 導 is 寸, which carries the idea of "inch". Dictionaries list 導 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 導?
導 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 导, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Why does 導 look so different from 导?
导 is the simplified form used in mainland China. It replaces the 道 on top with the simpler 巳, but keeps 寸 at the bottom, so the hand pointing the way is still there.
What does 導致 mean and is it positive or negative?
導致 (dǎozhì) means "to lead to" or "to cause". It usually introduces a bad result, as in 粗心導致錯誤 (cūxīn dǎozhì cuòwù), carelessness leads to mistakes.