督 dū to supervise
to supervise; to oversee; to direct
怎么记住“督”: 叔 uncle + 目 eye = to supervise. My uncle keeps an eye on the workers all day, because at the building site his job is to supervise.
部件结构
形声 · Meaning + sound
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
督 = 叔 uncle + 目 eye
- 叔 uncle sound
- 尗 bean plant
- 又 again
- 目 eye meaning
My uncle keeps an eye on the workers all day, because at the building site his job is to supervise.
How it came to be
The oracle bone form puts an eye under the sound part: the eye gives the meaning, to look over.
用法
- To supervise/oversee: 监督 (jiāndū) to supervise/monitor, 督促 (dūcù) to urge and press someone to get something done.
- 督促 combines overseeing with prodding: 督促孩子学习 (dūcù háizi xuéxí) to push a child to study.
- Historical titles: 总督 (zǒngdū) a governor-general, 都督 a military commander.
- Bound morpheme conveying oversight with authority.