指教
zhǐ jiào · HSK 7
to give advice or comments
👉 指教 = 指 point + 教 teach: someone points out what to teach you = gives advice
指 is point/finger and 教 is teach. To 指教 is to point things out and instruct, i.e. offer advice or comments. Often heard in the polite set phrase 请多指教, please give me plenty of guidance.
指 — hand radical 扌 + 旨 (zhǐ, phonetic)
指 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The hand radical 扌 gives the meaning — something done with the hand, namely pointing with a finger. 旨 supplies the sound 'zhǐ'. From 'finger' it naturally extended to the verb 'to point' and figurative senses like 'to indicate' or 'to refer to'.
教 — 老 (filial son being taught) + 攵 (hand with stick)
教 originally depicted an adult holding a stick or rod (攵) instructing a child, often shown with the element 爻 (lessons/counting) above 子 (child). It is a classic associative compound meaning 'to teach' or 'to instruct,' with the right side suggesting discipline and guidance. The modern meanings 'teach, religion, doctrine' all extend from this image of formal instruction.