带路 literally means 'to carry the road', but functionally it means 'to show the way' or 'to lead someone to a destination'. The character 带 (dài) means 'to bring, to take along', and 路 (lù) means 'road' or 'path'; together, they convey guiding someone along the correct path. This verb is commonly used in face-to-face situations where one person accompanies another to help them find their way—such as in unfamiliar neighborhoods, large buildings, or during travel.

带路 is neutral in register and appropriate for both formal and informal contexts, though it’s more common in spoken than written Chinese. It typically takes a direct object indicating the person being guided (e.g., 带我 / 带客人), and often appears in imperative or narrative constructions. Unlike some directional verbs, it doesn’t require aspect particles like 了 or 过 unless indicating completed action, and it rarely appears with complements like 完 or 到.