Meaning
direction; way; method; road; path; principle
Chinese: 道路、方法，也表示说。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “dao” becomes a different word in each tone. 道 is the 4th tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 知道zhī dàoto know; to become aware of
- 味道wèi daoflavor; taste; (fig.) feeling (of ...); sense (of ...)
- 道路dào lùroad; path; way
- 道理dào lireason; argument; sense; principle
- 报道bào dàoto report (news); report
Example Sentence
这条道路通向公园。Zhè tiáo dào lù tōng xiàng gōng yuán.This road leads to the park.
这Zhèthis条tiáostrip道路dào lùroad通向tōng xiàngto lead to公园gōng yuánpark (for public recreatio。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
The walk radical 辶 (to go) plus 首 (head): the road one walks with the head leading — a ‘road / path’, and abstractly ‘the Way / a principle’.
A way to remember it
Walking (辶) where the head (首) points — the road, the Way.
Easy to confuse with
- 首‘Head’: the part of 道 inside the walk radical, on its own.