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迪 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
to advance, to enlighten, to make progressnr, 8 strokes, radical 辶, rank #2285, Hard
(di2) T2
  1. 1to advance, to enlighten, to make progress
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(di2)

The character 迪 (dí) primarily means 'to advance' or 'to enlighten.' It is often used in contexts related to progress, education, and illumination, suggesting a movement towards improvement or a better understanding. It can also be found in more abstract uses, such as in philosophical discussions about enlightenment.

Strokes8RadicalFrequency#2285DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, enlightenment is often seen as a critical aspect of personal and communal growth, particularly in the context of education and self-improvement. The character 迪 resonates with traditional values that emphasize the importance of knowledge and wisdom.

Memory Tip

Imagine a light bulb illuminating a dark room, representing enlightenment and advancement in understanding. The character 迪 can be visualized as a person (the dot on top) bringing light (the horizontal stroke) to a previously dark space (the bottom strokes), symbolizing the act of enlightening or advancing knowledge.

Meanings of 迪

(di2)
1to advance, to enlighten, to make progress
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 迪

Simplified
8Strokes
Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 迪

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Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 迪

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a light bulb illuminating a dark room, representing enlightenment and advancement in understanding. The character 迪 can be visualized as a person (the dot on top) bringing light (the horizontal stroke) to a previously dark space (the bottom strokes), symbolizing the act of enlightening or advancing knowledge.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone; 迪 is pronounced with the second tone (dí), which can be confused with similar-sounding words. It is often used in more formal contexts, particularly in literature and education, such as in phrases like '启迪' (qǐdí - to enlighten) and '进步' (jìnbù - to make progress).

HSK Study Tips

Although 迪 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it relates to the concept of progress found in HSK Level 3, where students learn words about advancement. Focus on using 迪 in conjunction with other words that signify growth or enlightenment to deepen understanding.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, enlightenment is often seen as a critical aspect of personal and communal growth, particularly in the context of education and self-improvement. The character 迪 resonates with traditional values that emphasize the importance of knowledge and wisdom.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 迪 with similar-sounding characters like 低 (dī - low). For example, saying '我想低这个问题' (I want to 'low' this question) instead of '我想迪这个问题' (I want to enlighten this question) can change the intended meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 迪

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Etymology of 迪

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 辶 represents the meaning and 由 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

To walk 辶 with purpose 由

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 迪?

Decomposition of 迪

IDS Structure⿺辶由
Full Character
=
chuo4
enclosing
you2
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 迪?

Write 迪

Practice writing stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 迪

迪 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

“你什么意思啊?”我问,替利____感到愤愤不平。

"What do you mean?" I asked, offended on Liddie's behalf.

Example Sentences for 迪 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
“你什么意思啊?”我问,替利迪感到愤愤不平。

“ “ nǐ shí mó yì sī?” ā ?”, wǒ wèn , tì lì dí gǎn dào fèn。

"What do you mean?" I asked, offended on Liddie's behalf.
2
我敢打赌迪安现在就在你办公室。

wǒ gǎn dǎ dǔ dí ān xiàn zài jiù zài nǐ bàn gōng shì。

I'll lay odds that Dean is at your office right now.
3
特迪用自己的粗手指头捋了一下浓密蓬乱的头发。

tè dí yòng zì jǐ de cū shǒu zhǐ tóu luō le yī xià nóng mì péng luàn de tóu fā。

Teddy ran thick fingers through his unruly thatch of hair.
4
温迪周一晚上过来匆匆吃了点儿饭。

wēn dí zhōu yī wǎn shàng guò lái cōng cōng chī le diǎn ér fàn。

Wendy popped in for a quick bite to eat on Monday night.
5
撤离人员一抵达迪拜就径直被送往迪拜国际机场。

chè lí rén yuán yī dǐ dá dí bài jiù jìng zhí bèi sòng wǎng dí bài guó jì jī cháng。

On reaching Dubai the evacuees are taken straight to Dubai international airport.
6
他牵着迪康的手把他领进屋。

tā qiān zháo dí kāng de shǒu bǎ tā lǐng jìn wū。

He took Dickon by the hand to lead him into the house.
7
玛丽莲最后一次公开亮相是在麦迪逊广场花园。

mǎ lì lián zuì hòu yī cì gōng kāi liàng xiāng shì zài mài dí xùn guǎng cháng huā yuán。

Marilyn made her last public appearance at Madison Square Garden.
8
理查德·邓伍迪在职业赛马骑师冠军赛中领先其他选手。

lǐ chá dé· · dèng wǔ dí zài zhí yè sài mǎ qí shī guān jūn sài zhōng lǐng xiān qí tā xuǎn。

Richard Dunwoody is in front in the jockeys' title race.
9
与会的发言人中有财政部长尼古拉斯·布莱迪。

yǔ huì de fā yán rén zhōng yǒu cái zhèng bù cháng ní gǔ lā sī· · bù lái。

Among the speakers at the gathering was Treasury Secretary Nicholas Brady.
10
“我有他的名片,”朱迪丝边说边把名片递了过来。

“ “ wǒ yǒu tā de míng,” piàn ,” zhū dí sī biān shuō biān bǎ míng piàn dì le。

"I've got his card." Judith said, handing it over.

Cultural Notes for 迪

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, enlightenment is often seen as a critical aspect of personal and communal growth, particularly in the context of education and self-improvement. The character 迪 resonates with traditional values that emphasize the importance of knowledge and wisdom.

Word Family of 迪

Words Containing This Character17
to enlighten
奥迪Audi奧迪
迪斯尼Disney (company name, surname)
肯尼迪Kennedy (name)
迪拜Dubai
迪克Dick (person name)
迪士尼Disney (company name, surname)
艾迪Eddie (name)
启迪qǐdíto edify啟迪
麦迪Tracy McGrady (1979-), former NBA player麥迪
凯迪拉克Cadillac凱迪拉克
科特迪瓦Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast in West Africa
迪斯科disco (loanword)
麦迪逊Madison (name)麥迪遜
比亚迪BYD Company (company name)比亞迪
巴拉迪Mohamed ElBaradei (1942-), Director of International Atomic Energy Agency 1997-2009 and Nobel Peace Prize laureate
爱迪生Edison (name)愛迪生
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 迪 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 迪

Common phrases include '启迪' (qǐdí - to enlighten) and '进步' (jìnbù - to make progress), which emphasize growth and understanding.