导游

dǎo yoú · HSK 4

tour guide

🧭 导 = lead/guide + 游 = travel/tour → tour guide

导 means to lead or direct (also in 领导 leader, 导师 mentor); 游 means to travel or tour (also in 旅游 tourism). Together: someone who leads travelers, i.e. a tour guide.

游 — water radical 氵 + 斿 (banner/streamer)
游 combines the water radical 氵 with 斿, which depicts a banner streaming in the wind. The original sense was a flag fluttering or floating, extended to drifting on water, swimming, and wandering. Today it commonly means to swim, travel, or roam.

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