Writing
指南 (zhǐ nán) — how to say "compass" in Chinese
指南
Compass; guide
noun
Character composition
指
to point
南
south
Radicals / Keys
手
Hand
#64 · shǒu · 4 strokes
十
Ten
#24 · shí · 2 strokes
Collocations
旅游指南
lǚ yóu zhǐ nán
travel guide
使用指南
shǐ yòng zhǐ nán
user guide
Examples
我买了一个新的指南针。
I bought a new compass.
这个指南很好。
This guide is very good.
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Frequently asked questions
Compass meaning in Chinese
"compass" in Chinese is 指南 (zhǐ nán).
指南 meaning in English
指南 (zhǐ nán) means "Compass; guide".
How is 指南 pronounced?
It is pronounced zhǐ nán (written as zhi nan, zhinan). You can listen to the pronunciation on this page.
How do you write "compass" in Chinese characters?
It is written 指南: 指 has 9 strokes, 南 has 9 strokes. The Writing section above animates the stroke order of each character and lets you trace it.
What HSK 3.0 level is 指南?
指南 is on the HSK 3.0 levels 7–9 word list. It is not part of the six-level HSK 2.0 lists.
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