地图
map
dìtú
What does 地图 mean?
地图 (dìtú) is the Chinese word for 'map' — a flat drawing of geography, whether paper, wall-mounted, or digital. The characters literally read 'earth picture.' Use 地图 broadly: a paper city map (城市地图), a world map (世界地图), a subway map (地铁地图), or a digital map app (高德地图, Gaode Maps; 百度地图, Baidu Maps; 谷歌地图, Google Maps).
Common verbs that pair with 地图 are 看 ('look at'), 查 ('look up / consult'), 用 ('use'), and 画 ('draw'). The measure word is usually 张 for a single sheet. Note that 地图 refers to maps as printed or visual objects; for the action of giving directions, Chinese uses 指路 (zhǐlù)
Character breakdown
earth; ground; geography
picture; drawing; chart
Memory hook: 地 (earth) + 图 (picture) = a picture of the earth = a map.
Measure word for 地图
Example sentences
我们看地图找路吧。
Wǒmen kàn dìtú zhǎo lù ba.
Let's look at the map to find the way.
spoken
墙上挂着一张中国地图。
Qiáng shàng guà zhe yì zhāng Zhōngguó dìtú.
A map of China hangs on the wall.
neutral
现在大家都用手机地图。
Xiànzài dàjiā dōu yòng shǒujī dìtú.
These days everyone uses phone maps.
neutral
请帮我查一下地图，这家饭店在哪里？
Qǐng bāng wǒ chá yíxià dìtú, zhè jiā fàndiàn zài nǎlǐ?
Please help me check the map — where is this restaurant?
spoken
老师在黑板上画了一张地图。
Lǎoshī zài hēibǎn shàng huà le yì zhāng dìtú.
The teacher drew a map on the blackboard.
neutral
Common phrases with 地图
Synonyms
导航 means 'navigation' — the action or app that gives turn-by-turn directions. 地图 is the map itself. You open a 地图 app and use 导航 to get directions.