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Daoism / Taoism
Literally: The Way or Road
道 is the character “dao” which is sometimes written as “tao” but pronounced like “dow” in Mandarin.
道 is the base of what is known as “Taoism.” If you translate this literally, it can mean “the way” or “the path.”
Dao is believed to be that which flows through all things and keeps them in balance. It incorporates the ideas of yin and yang (e.g. there would be no love without hate, no light without dark, no male without female.)
The beginning of Taoism can be traced to a mystical man named
Lao Zi (604-531 BC), who followed, and added to the teachings of Confucius.
More about Taoism / Daoism here.
Note that this is pronounced “dou” and sometimes “michi” when written alone in Japanese but pronounced “do” in word compounds such as Karate-do and Bushido. It's also “do” in Korean.
Alternate translations and meanings: road, way, path; truth, principle province.
Important Japanese note: In Japanese, this will generally be read with the road, way, or path meaning. Taoism is not as popular or well-known in Japan so Daoist/Taoist philosophy is not the first thing a Japanese person will think of when they read this character.
See our Taoism Page
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Below are some entries from our dictionary that may match your dao4 search...
| Characters If shown, 2nd row is Simp. Chinese |
Pronunciation Romanization |
Simple Dictionary Definition |
道 see styles |
dào dao4 tao dou / do どう |
More info & calligraphy: Daoism / Taoism(1) (abbreviation) (See 道・みち・1) road; path; street; route; (2) (See 道・みち・5) way; set of practices; rules for conducting oneself; (3) (abbreviation) (in Japanese schools) (See 道徳教育) moral education; (4) Buddhist teachings; (5) Taoism; (6) administrative region of Japan (Hokkaido); (7) (hist) administrative region of Japan (Tokaido, Tosando, etc.); (8) province (administrative region of Korea); (9) circuit (administrative region of China); (10) (hist) province (Tang-era administrative region of China); (personal name) Wataru mārga. A way, road; the right path; principle, Truth, Reason, Logos, Cosmic energy; to lead; to say. The way of transmigration by which one arrives at a good or bad existence; any of the six gati, or paths of destiny. The way of bodhi, or enlightenment leading to nirvāṇa through spiritual stages. Essential nirvāṇa, in which absolute freedom reigns. For the eightfold noble path v. 八聖道.; The two Ways: (1) (a) 無礙道 or 無間道 The open or unhindered way, or the way of removing all obstacles or intervention, i. e. all delusion; (b) 解脫道 the way of release, by realization of truth. (2) (a) 難行道 The hard way of "works", i. e. by the six pāramitā and the disciplines. (b) 易行道 the easy way salvation, by the invocation of Amitābha. (3) (a) 有漏道 The way of reincarnation or mortality; (b) 無漏 the enlightened way of escape from the miseries of transmigration. (4) (a) 教道 The way of instruction; (b) 證道 the way of realization. (5) The two lower excretory organs. |
中道 see styles |
zhōng dào zhong1 dao4 chung tao nakamichi なかみち |
More info & calligraphy: The Middle WayThe 'mean' has various interpretations. In general it denotes the mean between two extremes, and has special reference to the mean between realism and nihilism, or eternal substantial existence and annihilation; this 'mean' is found in a third principle between the two, suggesting the idea of a realm of mind or spirit beyond the terminology of 有 or 無, substance or nothing, or, that which has form, and is therefore measurable and ponderable, and its opposite of total non-existence. See 中論. The following four Schools define the term according to their several scriptures: the 法相 School describes it as the 唯識, v. 唯識中道; the 三論 School as the 八不 eight negations, v. 三論; the Tiantai as 實相 the true reality; and the Huayan as the 法界 dharmadhātu. Four forms of the Mean are given by the 三論玄義. |
人道 see styles |
rén dào ren2 dao4 jen tao jindou(p); nindou / jindo(p); nindo じんどう(P); にんどう |
More info & calligraphy: The Tao or Dao of Being Human / Humanity(1) humanity; (2) sidewalk; footpath; (3) (にんどう only) {Buddh} (See 六道) human realm rebirth as a human being |
佛道 see styles |
fó dào fo2 dao4 fo tao butsudō |
More info & calligraphy: Buddha Way |
古道 see styles |
gǔ dào gu3 dao4 ku tao kodou; furumichi / kodo; furumichi こどう; ふるみち |
More info & calligraphy: The Old Way / Old School(1) old road; ancient road; (2) (こどう only) ancient methods; ancient moral teachings; the way of learning; (place-name, surname) Furumichi |
實道 实道 see styles |
shí dào shi2 dao4 shih tao jitsudō |
More info & calligraphy: True Religion / Buddha Truth |
柔道 see styles |
róu dào rou2 dao4 jou tao juudou / judo じゅうどう |
More info & calligraphy: Judojudo |
求道 see styles |
qiú dào qiu2 dao4 ch`iu tao chiu tao kyuudou; gudou / kyudo; gudo きゅうどう; ぐどう |
More info & calligraphy: Seeking Truthto seek (practice for, strive for) enlightenment |
海盜 海盗 see styles |
hǎi dào hai3 dao4 hai tao |
More info & calligraphy: Pirate / Viking |
神道 see styles |
shén dào shen2 dao4 shen tao shintou(p); shindou / shinto(p); shindo しんとう(P); しんどう |
More info & calligraphy: ShintoShinto; Shintoism; (surname) Jindō The spirit world of devas, asuras, and pretas. Psychology, or the doctrines concerning the soul. The teaching of Buddha. Shinto, the Way of the Gods, a Japanese national religion. |
茶道 see styles |
chá dào cha2 dao4 ch`a tao cha tao sadou(p); chadou(ok)(p) / sado(p); chado(ok)(p) さどう(P); ちゃどう(ok)(P) |
More info & calligraphy: The Way of Teatea ceremony; Way of Tea; sadō; (place-name) Chadō the way of tea |
行道 see styles |
xíng dào xing2 dao4 hsing tao yukimichi ゆきみち |
More info & calligraphy: Walk in the WayTo walk in the way, follow the Buddha-truth; to make procession round an image, especially of the Buddha, with the right shoulder towards it. |
道元 see styles |
dào yuán dao4 yuan2 tao yüan michimoto みちもと |
More info & calligraphy: DogenThe beginning of right doctrine, i.e. faith. |
道場 道场 see styles |
dào chǎng dao4 chang3 tao ch`ang tao chang doujou / dojo どうじょう |
More info & calligraphy: Dojo / Martial Arts Studio(1) dojo; hall used for martial arts training; (2) (abbreviation) {Buddh} (See 菩提道場) manda (place of Buddhist practice or meditation, esp. the place under the bodhi tree where Buddha attained enlightenment); (surname) Michiba Truth-plot. bodhimaṇḍala, circle, or place of enlightenment. The place where Buddha attained enlightenment. A place, or method, for attaining to Buddha-truth. An object of or place for religious offerings. A place for teaching, learning, or practising religion. |
道士 see styles |
dào shì dao4 shi4 tao shih doushi / doshi どうし |
More info & calligraphy: Taoist / Daoist(1) Taoist; (2) person of high morals; (3) Buddhist monk; (4) immortal mountain wizard; Taoist immortal; (personal name) Michishi A Taoist (hermit), also applied to Buddhists, and to Śākyamuni. |
道德 see styles |
dào dé dao4 de2 tao te dōtoku |
More info & calligraphy: Ethics / Ethical / Moralitythe virtues of the (Buddha-)Path |
道教 see styles |
dào jiào dao4 jiao4 tao chiao doukyou / dokyo どうきょう |
More info & calligraphy: Daoism / TaoismTaoism; Daoism; (personal name) Michinori Taoism. The teaching of the right way, i.e. of Buddhism. |
道諦 道谛 see styles |
dào dì dao4 di4 tao ti doutai / dotai どうたい |
More info & calligraphy: Four Noble Truths: Path Leading Away From Sufferingmārga, the dogma of the path leading to the extinction of passion, the fourth of the four axioms, i.e. the eightfold noble path, v. 八聖道. |
醫道 医道 see styles |
yī dào yi1 dao4 i tao idō |
More info & calligraphy: Art of Healingart of healing |
八正道 see styles |
bā zhèng dào ba1 zheng4 dao4 pa cheng tao hasshōdō はっしょうどう |
More info & calligraphy: The Noble Eightfold Path(Buddhist term) noble eightfold path (八正道分) Āryamārga. The eight right or correct ways, the "eightfold noble path" for the arhat to nirvāṇa; also styled 八道船, 八正門, 八由行, 八游行, 八聖道支, 八道行, 八直行, 八直道. The eight are: (1) 正見Samyag-dṛṣṭi, correct views in regard to the Four Axioms, and freedom from the common delusion. (2) 正思 Samyak-saṁkalpa, correct thought and purpose. (3) 正語 Samyag-vāc, correct speech, avoidance of false and idle talk. (4) 正業 Samyak-karmānta, correct deed, or conduct, getting rid of all improper action so as to dwell in purity. (5) 正命 Smnyag-ājīva, correct livelihood or occupation, avoiding the five immoral occupations. (6) 正精進 Samyag-vyāyāma, correct zeal, or energy in uninterrupted progress in the way of nirvāṇa. (7) 正念 Samyak-smṛti, correct remembrance, or memory, which retains the true and excludes the false. (8) 正定 Samyak-samadhi, correct meditation, absorption, or abstraction. The 正 means of course Buddhist orthodoxy, anything contrary to this being 邪 or heterodox, and wrong. |
八聖道 八圣道 see styles |
bā shèng dào ba1 sheng4 dao4 pa sheng tao hasshōdō はっしょうどう |
More info & calligraphy: Noble Eightfold Pathnoble eightfold path |
合氣道 合气道 see styles |
hé qì dào he2 qi4 dao4 ho ch`i tao ho chi tao aikidou / aikido あいきどう |
More info & calligraphy: Hapkido(out-dated kanji) (martial arts term) aikido |
唐手道 see styles |
táng shǒu dào tang2 shou3 dao4 t`ang shou tao tang shou tao |
More info & calligraphy: Tang Soo Do / Tang Hand Way |
安道爾 安道尔 see styles |
ān dào ěr an1 dao4 er3 an tao erh |
More info & calligraphy: Andorra |
截拳道 see styles |
jié quán dào jie2 quan2 dao4 chieh ch`üan tao chieh chüan tao jiikundoo / jikundoo ジークンドー |
More info & calligraphy: Jeet Kune Do{MA} Jeet Kune Do; Way of the Intercepting Fist (martial art founded by Bruce Lee) |
武士道 see styles |
wǔ shì dào wu3 shi4 dao4 wu shih tao bushidou / bushido ぶしどう |
More info & calligraphy: Bushido / The Way of the SamuraiBushido; samurai code of chivalry |
稻草人 see styles |
dào cǎo rén dao4 cao3 ren2 tao ts`ao jen tao tsao jen |
More info & calligraphy: Scarecrow |
空手道 see styles |
kōng shǒu dào kong1 shou3 dao4 k`ung shou tao kung shou tao karatedou / karatedo からてどう |
More info & calligraphy: Karate-Dothe way of karate; karate |
跆拳道 see styles |
tái quán dào tai2 quan2 dao4 t`ai ch`üan tao tai chüan tao tekondoo; tekondo テコンドー; テコンド |
More info & calligraphy: Taekwondo(kana only) taekwondo (kor:); tae kwon do |
道德經 道德经 see styles |
dào dé jīng dao4 de2 jing1 tao te ching Dōtoku kyō |
More info & calligraphy: Daodejing / Tao Te ChingDaode jing |
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The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
| Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
| Daoism Taoism | 道 | michi / -do | dào / dao4 / dao | tao |
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