Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun In Taoism, the basic, eternal principle of the universe that transcends reality and is the source of being, non-being, and change.
  • noun In Confucianism, the right manner of human activity and virtuous conduct seen as stemming from universal criteria and ideals governing right, wrong, and other categories of existence.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an adherent of any branch of Taoism
  • noun the ultimate principle of the universe

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Mandarin dào, way, Tao, from Middle Chinese tɦaw`.]

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Examples

  • If blockbusters are about narcissistic striving and the Tao is about giving up the Self, then I vote for a happy medium between the two.

    Blockbusters and the Tao Te Ching « Tales from the Reading Room 2010

  • The whole idea of Yin and Yang and the Tao is about the order of nature, the natural way of things, not chaos.

    Chaos Theory 2008

  • Lao Tzu was a brilliant, brilliant man - in Tao Te Ching, he wrote this:

    aVOIDance 2010

  • Lao Tzu was a brilliant, brilliant man - in Tao Te Ching, he wrote this:

    6 posts from April 2010 2010

  • Lao Tzu was a brilliant, brilliant man - in Tao Te Ching, he wrote this:

    Community 2010

  • Lao Tzu was a brilliant, brilliant man - in Tao Te Ching, he wrote this:

    aVOIDance 2010

  • President Hu Jin Tao has said "Shanghai's holding of World Expo is the pride of all Chinese people."

    Fang Wu: Not So "World-ly" Expo 2010 Fang Wu 2010

  • Lao Tzu was a brilliant, brilliant man - in Tao Te Ching, he wrote this:

    Adaptation 2010

  • Doctordi – I readily admit that one of the reasons I love the Tao is that it comforts me in my sedentary and contemplative tendencies!

    Blockbusters and the Tao Te Ching « Tales from the Reading Room 2010

  • Lao Tzu was a brilliant, brilliant man - in Tao Te Ching, he wrote this:

    Learning 2010

Comments

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  • The Tao of Pooh, by Benjamin Hoff

    August 18, 2010