当道 (dāng dào) — to be in power, to hold sway; to block the way

Definition

当道 (dāngdào) has two unrelated senses: as a verb meaning 'to be in power / hold sway' (about officials or factions), and as a verb meaning 'to block the way'. Pick the sense by context.

verb
to be in powerto hold swayto block the way

Examples

  • 当道，。
    Zhè xiē fǔ bài guān yuán dāng dào shí, bǎi xìng kǔ bù kān yán.
    When these corrupt officials were in power, the people suffered unspeakably.
  • ，。
    Tā dāng le jǐ nián dào, zuò le bù shǎo hǎo shì.
    He held power for a few years and did a lot of good deeds.
  • 当道，！
    Bié dāng dào, ràng wǒ guò qù!
    Don't block the way, let me pass!

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

当dāngblock or hold
道dàoroad

"当" means block or hold and "道" means road, giving blocking the road or holding the road to power.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 當; 当 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
田田tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
尚
尚shàng當dāng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 當 combines 田 (field) with 尚; the evidence describes fields facing each other.

Open 当 →

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
止止zhǐfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
𩠐
首shǒu道dào
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.

Open 道 →

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