道
dào
The English phrase 'tao' is translated into Chinese as 道 (dào).
Meaning: Chinese philosophical term (name)
What does it mean word for word?
The character 道 literally means a path, way or road, which serves as the basis for its philosophical meaning of the 'universal way'.
How do you pronounce it?
dào
Did you know?
- The word 道 is used to describe a 'course' of a meal, such as the first or second dish served during a dinner.
- In modern Chinese, the word 道 is used as a classifier for things that are long and thin, such as a 'beam of light' or a 'streak of lightning'.
- Because 道 means 'to speak' or 'to explain' as well as 'the way', the Chinese language links the act of communication directly to the concept of a path.
Examples in context
- 道是自然的力量。Dào shì zìrán de lìliàng.The Tao is the power of nature.
- 我们要顺应道。Wǒmen yào shùnyìng dào.We must follow the Tao.
- 他在研究道论。Tā zài yánjiū dào lùn.He is studying the theory of the Tao.
Example conversation
Two students are discussing a philosophy class.
- 浩然 Haoran晓雯，你知道什么是道吗？Xiǎowén, nǐ zhīdào shénme shì dào ma?Xiaowen, do you know what the Tao is?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen浩然，我认为道是宇宙的规律。Hàorán, wǒ rènwéi dào shì yǔzhòu de guīlǜ.Haoran, I think the Tao is the law of the universe.
- 浩然 Haoran这个解释很有意思。Zhège jiěshì hěn yǒu yìsi.That explanation is very interesting.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我们可以一起读读相关书籍。Wǒmen kěyǐ yīqǐ dúdú xiāngguān shūjí.We can read some related books together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tao” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
