引导 (yǐndǎo)

To guide or lead means to help direct someone's thinking, behavior, or movement toward a particular goal or along a particular path.

Meanings

[verb] to guide; to lead; to direct; to steer; to channel (people, thinking, or development)

Example Sentences

老师善于引导学生独立思考，而不是直接给出答案。 Lǎoshī shànyú yǐndǎo xuéshēng dúlì sīkǎo, ér bù shì zhíjiē gěi chū dá'àn. The teacher is good at guiding students to think independently rather than giving answers directly.

媒体应该正确引导公众舆论，传播正能量。 Méitǐ yīnggāi zhèngquè yǐndǎo gōngzhòng yúlùn, chuánbō zhèng néngliàng. The media should correctly guide public opinion and spread positive energy.

父母的价值观对引导孩子的成长有深远影响。 Fùmǔ de jiàzhíguān duì yǐndǎo háizi de chéngzhǎng yǒu shēnyuǎn yǐngxiǎng. Parents' values have a profound influence on guiding children's growth.

警方引导人群有序疏散，避免了踩踏事故。 Jǐngfāng yǐndǎo rénqún yǒuxù shūsàn, bìmiǎnle cǎità shìgù. Police guided the crowd to evacuate in an orderly manner, avoiding a stampede.

学校通过各种活动引导学生树立正确的人生观。 Xuéxiào tōngguò gèzhǒng huódòng yǐndǎo xuéshēng shùlì zhèngquè de rénshēngguān. The school guides students to establish the correct outlook on life through various activities.

他被导师引导进入了神经科学这一研究领域。 Tā bèi dǎoshī yǐndǎo jìnrùle shénjīng kēxué zhè yī yánjiū lǐngyù. He was guided by his mentor into the research field of neuroscience.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
引导学生 (yǐndǎo xuéshēng)	to guide students
引导舆论 (yǐndǎo yúlùn)	to guide/steer public opinion
正确引导 (zhèngquè yǐndǎo)	to correctly guide
引导方向 (yǐndǎo fāngxiǎng)	to guide/steer direction
引导消费 (yǐndǎo xiāofèi)	to guide consumption patterns
加以引导 (jiāyǐ yǐndǎo)	to provide guidance; to guide appropriately

Usage Notes

引导 emphasizes the process of leading or steering someone toward a positive direction. It is commonly used in educational, social, and political contexts. The one who guides (the teacher, the government, the mentor) is seen as having greater wisdom or authority and uses it to steer others constructively.

Contrast with 带领 (to lead a group by going ahead) and 领导 (to lead/manage organizationally). 引导 is more about intellectual and motivational direction, while the others emphasize organizational leadership.

Memory Hook

引 (to draw/pull) + 导 (to guide/conduct) -- like a guide pulling you gently by the hand, showing you the right path without forcing you.