How to Write 导 (dǎo) — Meaning “To lead; to guide.”

Picture a tour guide (导游) using a hand (寸) to point the way, while the top 巳 looks like a winding path or a snake slithering forward. This image helps you remember that 导 means 'to lead' or 'to guide'.

Stroke order: top 巳 — horizontal fold, horizontal, vertical hook — then bottom 寸 — horizontal, vertical hook, dot. A common mistake is making the top 巳’s vertical hook too straight or forgetting the dot in 寸. Keep the top part compact and the bottom 寸 balanced.

导 has 巳 (three strokes) on top and 寸 below, meaning 'to lead'. 对 has 又 (two strokes) on the left and 寸 on the right, meaning 'correct' or 'toward'. 㝵 is very rare; it looks different and means 'to obtain'. The key visual difference is the top element: 巳 vs 又.

导 appears in everyday words like 导游 (tour guide), 导演 (director), and 领导 (leader/leadership). It is used in contexts involving direction, guidance, and authority, from travel to film and business. In Chinese culture, a 导游 is a familiar figure on trips, and 导演 commands respect in the entertainment industry.

Common words containing 导 include: 导游 (dǎo yóu) — Tour guide.; 导演 (dǎo yǎn) — Director.; 领导 (lǐng dǎo) — Leader / Leadership / To lead.