道理

Chinese

		direction; way; method direction; way; method; road; path; principle; truth; reason; skill; Tao (of Taoism); a measure word; to say; to speak; to talk	to manage; to heed; to put in order to manage; to heed; to put in order; reason; logic; science; inner principle or structure
trad. (道理)		道	理
simp. #(道理)		道	理

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): dàolǐ

  (Zhuyin): ㄉㄠˋ ㄌㄧˇ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): dao⁴ ni³

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): dou⁶ lei⁵

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): au⁵ li⁴

• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): tho-lî

  (Hailu, HRS): to^˖ li^ˋ

  (Meixian, Guangdong): tau⁴ li¹

• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): dor⁵ li³
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): tō-lí / tǒ͘-lí / tǒ-lí

  (Teochew, Peng'im): dao⁶ li² / do⁶ li²

• Wu (Northern, Wugniu): ⁶dau-li₆ / ²dau₆-li₆ / ⁴dau-li₄

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)
    • Hanyu Pinyin: dàolǐ → dàoli (toneless final syllable variant)
    • Zhuyin: ㄉㄠˋ ㄌㄧˇ → ㄉㄠˋ ˙ㄌㄧ (toneless final syllable variant)
    • Tongyong Pinyin: dàoli̊
    • Wade–Giles: tao⁴-li⁵
    • Yale: dàu-li
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: daw.lii
    • Palladius: даоли (daoli)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tɑʊ̯⁵¹ li²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/ → /tɑʊ̯⁵¹ li¹/
    • Homophones:

      edit edit 道理 道裡 / 道里 道里 道禮 / 道礼 稻醴

  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: dao⁴ ni³
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: daoli
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tau²¹³ ni⁵³/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: dou⁶ lei⁵
    • Yale: douh léih
    • Cantonese Pinyin: dou⁶ lei⁵
    • Guangdong Romanization: dou⁶ léi⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tou̯²² lei̯¹³/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: au⁵ li⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /au³² li²¹/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: tho-lî
    • Hakka Romanization System: to li^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: to⁴ li¹
    • Sinological IPA: /tʰo⁵⁵ li²⁴/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: to^˖ li^ˋ
    • Sinological IPA: /tʰo³³ li⁵³/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: tau⁴ li¹
    • Sinological IPA: /tʰau⁵³ li⁴⁴/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: dor⁵ li³
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: dō̤-lî
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tɒ¹¹ li⁴⁵³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: dor⁵ li³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tɒ²¹ li³³²/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: General Taiwanese, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Singapore)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tō-lí
    • Tâi-lô: tō-lí
    • Phofsit Daibuun: doixlie
    • Sinological IPA (Kaohsiung): /tɤ³³⁻²¹ li⁴¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Taipei): /to³³⁻¹¹ li⁵³/
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /to²²⁻²¹ li⁵³/
    • Sinological IPA (Singapore): /to²²⁻²¹ li⁴²/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tǒ͘-lí
    • Tâi-lô: tǒo-lí
    • Sinological IPA (Quanzhou): /tɔ²² li⁵⁵⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tǒ-lí
    • Tâi-lô: tǒ-lí
    • Sinological IPA (Quanzhou): /to²² li⁵⁵⁴/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: dao⁶ li² / do⁶ li²
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tău lí / tŏ lí
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tau³⁵⁻¹¹ li⁵²/, /to³⁵⁻¹¹ li⁵²/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai, Suzhou)
    • Wugniu: ⁶dau-li₆
    • MiniDict: dau^去 li^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³dau-li₃
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /dɔ²² li⁴⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /dæ²³ li¹¹/
  • (Northern: Suzhou)
    • Wugniu: ²dau₆-li₆
    • MiniDict: dau^去 li^去
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /dæ²² li³³/
  • (Northern: Jiaxing)
    • Wugniu: ⁴dau-li₄
    • MiniDict: dau^上 li^上
    • Sinological IPA (Jiaxing): /dɔ²² li¹³/

Noun

道理

1. reason; argument; sense; logic

   不講道理／不讲道理  ―  bù jiǎng dàolǐ  ―  to be unreasonable

   你說得有道理。／你说得有道理。  ―  Nǐ shuō de yǒu dàolǐ.  ―  You have a point.

   • 其實這種道理，到了現在，他們也該早已懂得，…… [MSC, trad.]
     其实这种道理，到了现在，他们也该早已懂得，…… [MSC, simp.]

     From: 1918: Lu Xun, A Madman's Diary (狂人日記)

     qíshí zhè zhǒng dàolǐ, dào le xiànzài, tāmen yě gāi zǎo yǐ dǒngde,...... [Pinyin]

     Actually, they should have long since understood this kind of reasoning...

2. principle; rule; truth; philosophy

   人生道理  ―  rénshēng dàolǐ  ―  philosophies of life

   這句話的道理你應該清楚。 [MSC, trad.]
   这句话的道理你应该清楚。 [MSC, simp.]

   Zhè jù huà de dàolǐ nǐ yīnggāi qīngchǔ. [Pinyin]

   You should understand the principle contained in this sentence.

   • 道理無窮，學者先要不得有自足心。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
     道理无穷，学者先要不得有自足心。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]

     From: Various editors, Collected Conversations of Master Zhu, c. 13^th century CE

     Dàolǐ wúqióng, xuézhě xiān yào bùdé yǒu zìzú xīn. [Pinyin]

     Truth is infinite; a scholar cannot afford to have a complacent attitude.

3. way; plan

   • 明日先把案內人證提來，再作道理。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
     明日先把案内人证提来，再作道理。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]

     From: 1907 CE, Liu E, The Travels of Lao Can

     Míngrì xiān bǎ àn nèi rénzhèng tí lái, zài zuò dàolǐ. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

Synonyms

• (reason):

edit

• 來由 / 来由 (láiyóu)
• 原因 (yuányīn)
• 因由 (yīnyóu)
• 因端 (Hokkien)
• 因致端 (Hokkien)
• 基因 (jīyīn) (dated)
• 張本 / 张本 (zhāngběn) (literary)
• 成因 (chéngyīn)
• 所以然 (suǒyǐrán)
• 根由 (gēnyóu)
• 理由 (lǐyóu)
• 緣故 / 缘故 (yuángù)
• 緣由 / 缘由 (yuányóu)
• 緣起 / 缘起 (yuánqǐ)
• 肇因 (zhàoyīn)
• 苗頭 / 苗头 (Suzhounese)
• 言因 (Anxi Hokkien)
• 說道 / 说道 (shuōdao) (colloquial)
• 起因 (qǐyīn)
• 關係 / 关系

• (principle):

edit

• 公理 (gōnglǐ) (commonly acknowledged principle)
• 原則 / 原则 (yuánzé)
• 原理 (yuánlǐ)
• 定理 (dìnglǐ)

• (way):

edit

• 主意
• 作法 (zuòfǎ)
• 做法 (zuòfǎ)
• 卯竅 / 卯窍 (mao³ qiao⁴) (Sichuanese)
• 套套 (tau³ tau^3-2) (Jin, colloquial)
• 對策 / 对策 (duìcè)
• 工具 (gōngjù) (figurative)
• 手段 (shǒuduàn)
• 措施 (cuòshī)
• 搞法 (gǎofǎ)
• 撇步 (Hokkien, secret method)
• 方式 (fāngshì)
• 方法 (fāngfǎ)
• 步拍 (Xiamen Hokkien)
• 步數 / 步数 (Hokkien)
• 法子 (colloquial)
• 法度 (Hokkien)
• 渠道 (qúdào)
• 竅門 / 窍门 (qiàomén)
• 竅門兒 / 窍门儿 (qiàoménr)
• 管道 (guǎndào) (figurative, especially of communication)
• 行法 (xíngfǎ) (literary)
• 訣竅 / 诀窍 (juéqiào) (secret method)
• 訣要 / 诀要 (juéyào)
• 路子 (lùzi)
• 路徑 / 路径 (lùjìng)
• 蹊徑 / 蹊径 (xījìng) (literary, figurative)
• 辦法 / 办法 (bànfǎ)
• 途徑 / 途径 (tújìng)
• 進路 / 进路 (jìnlù)
• 道術 / 道术 (dàoshù) (literary)
• 道道 (dau³ dau^3-2) (Jin)
• 門徑 / 门径 (ménjìng)
• 門路 / 门路 (ménlù)
• 門道 / 门道 (méndao)
• 門頭 / 门头 (méntóu) (literary, figurative)
• 頭路 / 头路 (tóulù) (colloquial)

Derived terms

• 大條道理 / 大条道理
• 大道理 (dàdàolǐ)
• 擺事實，講道理 / 摆事实，讲道理 (bǎi shìshí, jiǎng dàolǐ)
• 有道理 (yǒu dàolǐ)
• 硬道理 (yìngdàolǐ)
• 自有道理 (zìyǒudàolǐ)
• 講道理 / 讲道理 (jiǎng dàolǐ)

Related terms

• 情理 (qínglǐ)
• 真諦／真谛 (zhēndì)
• 真理 (zhēnlǐ)

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (道理):

• → Japanese: 道理(どうり) (dōri)
• → Korean: 도리(道理) (dori)
• → Vietnamese: đạo lí (道理)

→ Uyghur: داۋلى (dawli)

Japanese

Kanji in this term
道	理
どう Grade: 2	り Grade: 2
on'yomi

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) どーり [dòóríꜜ] (Odaka – [3])
• IPA^(key): [do̞ːɾʲi]

Noun

道(どう)理(り) • (dōri) 

1. reason, logic, sense, principle

   彼(かれ)の意(い)見(けん)は道(どう)理(り)に適(かな)っていない。

   Kare no iken wa dōri ni kanatte inai.

   His opinion doesn't make sense.

Derived terms

• 道(どう)理(り)で (dōri de)

References

• “道理”, in 漢字ぺディア [Kanjipedia]‎^[1] (in Japanese), The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, 2015–2026

Korean

Hanja in this term
道	理

Noun

道理 • (dori) (hangeul 도리)

1. hanja form^? of 도리 (“duty; way, method, means”)

Vietnamese

chữ Hán Nôm in this term
道	理

Noun

道理

1. chữ Hán form of đạo lí (“moral code, principles, standards; moral philosophy”)