指

zhǐ

verb HSK 3 #580

Meanings

Contains the hand radical 扌, as pointing and fingers are hand-related actions.

Tā yòng shǒuzhǐ zhǐ zhe wǒ.

He pointed at me with his finger.

Zhège cí zhǐ de shì shénme?

What does this word refer to?

Tā zhǐ le zhǐ qiánmiàn de lù.

She pointed at the road ahead.

culture

In Chinese culture, it's considered rude to point at someone with your index finger. Use an open hand to gesture instead.

usage

手指 (shǒuzhǐ) = finger (noun), 指 (zhǐ) = to point (verb). Note that 指 is both a noun and verb — context determines the meaning.

指 zhǐ