导游

• Pinyin: dǎo yóu
• Hanzi breakdown: 导 = 道 simplified (way, path) + 寸 (measure); 游 = 氵(water) + 方 + 㫃 (travel, swim)

Meaning

Tour guide; to guide a tour. Refers to a person who leads tourists and explains sights, or the activity of guiding.

Can function as both a noun (the guide person) and a verb (the act of guiding tourists). Professional tour guides in China require certification. The word also covers self-guided touring when used as a verb, though this is less common.

Examples

1. 我们的导游非常热情，给大家讲了很多当地的故事。 Our tour guide was very enthusiastic and told everyone many local stories.
2. 她大学毕业后当了一名导游，经常带团去各地旅行。 After graduating from university, she became a tour guide and often takes groups travelling to different places.
3. 这次旅行没有请导游，我们自己看地图找路。 We didn't hire a tour guide for this trip — we found our way using a map.

Usage Guide

Context: travel, tourism, work

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我们需要找一个会说英语的导游。(We need to find a tour guide who speaks English.)
• 导游带我们参观了故宫。(The tour guide took us to visit the Forbidden City.)

Don't Say

• 把导游用于非旅游场景的引导 (Don't use 导游 for guiding in non-tourism contexts — use 引导 or 指导 instead)

Origin & History

导 means to guide or lead, and 游 means to tour or travel. Together they form 'one who guides travel' — a tour guide.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal