HSK · Level 4
132 words
Chinese word
指着
Pronunciation
Pinyinzhǐ zhe
Meaning
- verbpoint at
Example
他指着那扇门。tā zhǐ zhe nà shàn mén
He is pointing at that door.
More examples
他指着手机里的照片，介绍了自己的家人。tā zhǐ zhe shǒu jī lǐ de zhào piān jiè shào le zì jǐ de jiā rén
Pointing at the photo on his phone, he introduced his family.
Core concept
An extended finger stays directed toward a target, making the gesture remain visible rather than brief.
Common phrases
指着黑板zhǐ zhe hēi bǎn
point at the blackboard
指着照片zhǐ zhe zhào piān
point at the photo
指着手机zhǐ zhe shǒu jī
point at the cell phone
Similar words
指zhǐ: Pointing with a finger to show where a person or thing is or which way it is.
指出zhǐ chū: Clearly identifying a fact, problem, or other matter.
指向zhǐ xiàng: Being aimed toward a particular direction or target.
指示zhǐ shì: Showing how to do something or where something is through words or gestures.
Definition in Chinese
用手指朝某物或某人指，表示动作正在进行或持续。yòng shóu zhǐ cháo mǒu wù huò mǒu rén zhǐ biǎo shì dòng zuò zhèng zài jìn xíng huò chí xù
Word origin
指 (zhǐ, "finger; point") names the pointing action, while 着 (zhe, "ongoing state marker") shows that this action continues in 指着 (zhǐzhe, "pointing at").
Usage tips
- Directly aiming a finger at a person can sound confrontational in everyday conversation, so a softer hand gesture may carry the same meaning more politely.