外道 (wài dào) — (Buddhism) non-Buddhist doctrine; heresy; (by e…

Definition

A Buddhist term for non-Buddhist or heretical teachings; in modern use it means unorthodox, shady, or deviant methods.

noun

(Buddhism) non-Buddhist doctrineheresy(by extension) unorthodox or deviant practiceshady method

，外道。
Zài fó jiào kàn lái, zhè xiē lǐ lùn dōu shì wài dào.
From a Buddhist perspective, these theories are all heretical doctrines.
外道，。
Tā cóng lái bù gǎo wài dào nà yí tào, zuò shì guāng míng zhèng dà.
He never engages in any shady business; he is open and aboveboard.
''外道，。
Zhè xiē suǒ wèi de ' miào fāng ' qí shí shì wài dào, bú yào qīng yì xiāng xìn.
These so-called 'miracle cures' are actually unorthodox methods; don't trust them easily.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

道dàodoctrine

外 marks what is outside the true teaching, and 道 names the way or doctrine.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

月

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

外 pairs 卜 with 月, a crescent moon; in its older form, the 卜 part had a horizontal bar extending outward, giving the sense of outside.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

行行xíngstreet

Sound part声符shēngfú

𩠐

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Early 道 showed a street 行, a foot 止, and a part written 首 or 𩠐; the right part of 行 later disappeared.