tao

See also: Tao, tāo, táo, tǎo, tào, tão, tạo, and TAO

English

Alternative forms

• dao

Etymology

From the Wade-Giles romanization of Chinese 道 (Dào, literally “the Way”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /daʊ/, /taʊ/
• Rhymes: -aʊ

Proper noun

tao

1. (Chinese philosophy) Alternative letter-case form of Tao: the way of nature and/or the way in which to live one's life.
2. The art or skill of doing something in harmony with the essential nature of the thing

   the tao of archery

Synonyms

• (art or skill): zen

Noun

tao (usually uncountable, plural taos)

1. (historical, obsolete) Synonym of circuit: various administrative divisions of imperial and early Republican China.

See also

• ananke

Anagrams

• AOT, ATO, OTA, Ota, To'a, oat, toa

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Finnish

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtɑoˣ/, [ˈt̪ɑ̝o̞(ʔ)]
• Hyphenation: ta‧o

Verb

tao

1. Indicative present connegative form of takoa.
2. Second person singular imperative present form of takoa.
3. Second person singular imperative present connegative form of takoa.

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtɑo/, [ˈt̪ɑ̝o̞]
• Hyphenation: ta‧o

Noun

tao

1. tao

Declension

Inflection of tao (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
nominative		tao	—
genitive		taon	—
partitive		taoa	—
illative		taoon	—
		singular	plural
nominative		tao	—
accusative	nom.	tao	—
	gen.	taon
genitive		taon	—
partitive		taoa	—
inessive		taossa	—
elative		taosta	—
illative		taoon	—
adessive		taolla	—
ablative		taolta	—
allative		taolle	—
essive		taona	—
translative		taoksi	—
instructive		—	—
abessive		taotta	—
comitative		—	—

Anagrams

• oat, ota

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Hungarian

Etymology

Borrowed from Mandarin 道 (dào, “way, path”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈtɒo]
• Hyphenation: tao

Noun

tao

1. tao

Declension

Inflection of tao
	singular	plural
nominative	tao	taók
accusative	taót	taókat
dative	taónak	taóknak
instrumental	taóval	taókkal
causal-final	taóért	taókért
translative	taóvá	taókká
terminative	taóig	taókig
essive-formal	taoként	taókként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	taóban	taókban
superessive	taón	taókon
adessive	taónál	taóknál
illative	taóba	taókba
sublative	taóra	taókra
allative	taóhoz	taókhoz
elative	taóból	taókból
delative	taóról	taókról
ablative	taótól	taóktól

Possessive forms of tao
possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	taóm	taóim
2nd person sing.	taód	taóid
3rd person sing.	taója	taói
1st person plural	taónk	taóink
2nd person plural	taótok	taóitok
3rd person plural	taójuk	taóik

Derived terms

• taoista
• taoizmus

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Ilocano

Noun

tao

1. person
2. human

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Italian

Alternative forms

• dao

Etymology

From the Wade-Giles romanization of Chinese 道 (Dào, literally “the Way”) or (dào, "circuit")

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈta.o/, [ˈt̪äːo]
• Rhymes: -ao
• Hyphenation: tà‧o

Noun

tao m (invariable)

1. (philosophy) Tao

Derived terms

• taoismo
• taoista

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Japanese

Romanization

tao

1. Rōmaji transcription of たお

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Malagasy

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *taʀuq. Compare Indonesian taruh.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [to]

Noun

tao

1. act, action
2. preparation

Verb

tao

1. to do
2. to prepare, arm, take precautions

Related terms

	Focus (Voice)
Agent (Active)	man-form: manao
	mi-form: mitao
	om-form: --
Patient (Passive)	--
	alternate: --
	a-form: atao
	voa-form: voatao
	tafa-form: --
Goal (Relative)	an-form: anaovana
	i-form: itaovana

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Mandarin

Romanization

tao

1. Nonstandard spelling of tāo.
2. Nonstandard spelling of táo.
3. Nonstandard spelling of tǎo.
4. Nonstandard spelling of tào.

Usage notes

• English transcriptions of Mandarin speech often fail to distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without the appropriate indication of tone.

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Maori

Noun

tao

1. spear

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Samoan

Noun

tao

1. spear

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Tagalog

Etymology

From Classical Tagalog ᜆᜂ (tao), ultimately from Proto-Austronesian *Cau

Pronunciation

• tah'-oh

Noun

tao

1. person
2. human

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Vietnamese

Etymology

From Proto-Vietic *soː (“I; me”).

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [taːw˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [taːw˧˧]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [taːw˧˧]

Pronoun

tao (傮, 蚤, 𠋺)

1. (informal, familiar) I; me (used to indicate a position superior to that of the person being addressed; corresponds to the second person pronoun mày)

Synonyms

• (I): mình

Antonyms

• mày; mi (“you”)