Don't use `指令` for casual instructions. This is the most common mistake. If you're telling a friend how to make your favorite coffee, you are not giving them a `指令`.
Incorrect: 这是我做咖啡的指令。 (Zhè shì wǒ zuò kāfēi de zhǐlìng.)
Correct: 这是我做咖啡的方法。 (Zhè shì wǒ zuò kāfēi de fāngfǎ.) - “This is my method for making coffee.”
Correct: 你可以先把咖啡豆磨碎,然后加热水。(Nǐ kěyǐ xiān bǎ kāfēidòu mó suì, ránhòu jiā rèshuǐ.) - “You can first grind the coffee beans, then add hot water.”
`指令 (zhǐlìng)` vs. `命令 (mìnglìng)`: These are close but distinct.
`命令 (mìnglìng)` (Command): Stronger, more absolute, and carries a life-or-death weight. It's almost exclusively used in military, police, or royal contexts. It is a command from a person with absolute authority over another.
`指令 (zhǐlìng)` (Directive/Instruction): More formal and technical. It can be issued by a person (a boss) or a system (a computer). While it must be followed, it feels more functional and less personal than a `命令`. You get a `命令` from a general, but you get a `指令` from a project manager or a piece of software.