How to Write 迪 (dí) — Meaning “To enlighten; to guide”

Imagine that to enlighten (迪) someone, you need to lead them on a path (辶) toward reason (由, meaning 'reason' or 'cause'). The shape of 由 inside the walk radical can remind you of a guiding journey.

Write the walk radical 辶 first, with three strokes: a dot, a left-curving stroke, and a final sweeping stroke. Then place 由 inside, making sure it is centered and not too large; a common mistake is making 由 too wide or overlapping the radical.

All three share the same radical 辶, but 迪 has 由 inside, 巡 has 巛 (three vertical strokes) inside, and 达 has 大 inside. Their meanings differ: 迪 relates to guiding, 巡 means to patrol, and 达 means to arrive or reach.

迪 appears in loanwords like 迪斯科 (dísīkē, disco) and the brand name 奥迪 (Àodí, Audi). It is also used in formal words such as 启迪 (qǐdí, to enlighten or inspire), often in educational or philosophical contexts.

Common words containing 迪 include: 迪斯科 (dí sī kē) — Disco; 启迪 (qǐ dí) — to enlighten; to inspire; 奥迪 (ào dí) — Audi.