导航 (dǎo háng) literally combines 导 (dǎo), meaning 'to guide' or 'to lead', and 航 (háng), meaning 'to sail' or 'to navigate'. Together, they form the noun 'navigation' — the process of determining and following a route from one place to another. While historically tied to maritime or aviation contexts, in modern Chinese it most commonly refers to digital navigation using GPS-enabled devices or apps like Baidu Maps or Gaode Map.

The term is widely used in everyday life: people say 我用手机导航 (I use my phone for navigation) when finding directions, or 这个APP的导航很准 (this app’s navigation is very accurate). It can also appear in technical or institutional settings, such as 导航系统 (navigation system) in cars or aircraft. Unlike the English word 'navigation', 导航 is rarely used metaphorically (e.g., 'navigating relationships') — it stays firmly rooted in spatial, route-based movement.