This is the 3708th most frequent Russian word.
указывать
"To point out" or "to indicate."
Here, 'указывал' means 'pointed out,' demonstrating the usage of 'указывать' to mean 'to indicate' or 'to highlight' certain information.
Учитель указывал на ошибки студентов в их работах.
The teacher pointed out the students' mistakes in their work.
In this sentence, 'указывают' translates to 'indicate,' showing 'указывать' used to signify providing directions or information.
Знаки дорожного движения указывают направление движения.
Road signs indicate the direction of movement.
In this example, 'указывать' is used in the sense of 'to cite' or 'to enumerate,' emphasizing its application in referencing sources or data.