Chinese word

指南

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhǐ nán

Meaning

  • nounguide

Example

请看这本指南，会告诉你怎么去。qǐng kàn zhè běn zhǐ nán huì gào sù nǐ zěn me qù

Please look at this guide; it will tell you how to get there.

Illustration for 指南 (guide)

More examples

在旅游信息中心可以拿到免费的旅游指南。zài lǚ yóu xìn xī zhōng xīn ké yǐ ná dào miǎn fèi de lǚ yóu zhǐ nán

You can get a free travel guide at the tourist information center.

Core concept

A road map in words that shows both where to go and how to get there.

Common phrases

  • 旅游指南lǚ yóu zhǐ nán

    travel guide

  • 用户指南yòng hù zhǐ nán

    user guide

  • 学习指南xué xí zhǐ nán

    study guide

Similar words

说明书shuō míng shū: A booklet explaining how to use a product or device and what safety rules to follow.
指引zhí yǐn: A document that gives the main guidance and standards for handling a task or plan.
手册shǒu cè: A handy reference booklet with organized procedures and information for a particular task.

Definition in Chinese

为某项活动或问题提供方向和方法的说明性材料，指出应当怎么做或注意的要点。wèi mǒu xiàng huó dòng huò wèn tí tí gōng fāng xiàng hé fāng fǎ de shuō míng xìng cái liào zhǐ chū yīng dāng zěn me zuò huò zhù yì de yào diǎn

Word origin

指南 (zhǐnán, "guide") joins 指 (zhǐ, "to point") with 南 (nán, "south"), from the idea of a device indicating a fixed direction and then, more broadly, showing people how to proceed.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may expect a guide to be a person, but this Chinese noun often names a document or online resource, so its form helps identify what kind of guide is meant.

Other meanings

  • manualnoun

Related words

Word lists with this word