'误导' (wù dǎo) is a verb meaning 'to mislead' or 'to lead astray'. It combines two characters: 误 (wù), meaning 'wrong', 'mistaken', or 'erroneous', and 导 (dǎo), meaning 'to guide', 'to lead', or 'to direct'. Together, they literally mean 'to guide wrongly' — emphasizing that the misleading stems from incorrect information, flawed reasoning, or intentional deception. The word often implies responsibility on the part of the person or source doing the misleading.

This term is commonly used in formal, academic, journalistic, or public health contexts — for example, when discussing false medical claims, biased media reporting, or deceptive advertising. It carries a slightly negative or critical tone and is rarely used in casual conversation unless addressing serious misinformation. Unlike more neutral terms like 'confuse', 误导 suggests an active process of steering someone toward error, not just accidental misunderstanding.