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老道 (lǎo dào) — (colloquial) Daoist priest

Definition

老道 (lǎodào) is a colloquial term for a Daoist priest — a more everyday, familiar way to say 道士 (dàoshi), which is the standard written/formal word. It often implies an experienced or long-practicing priest rather than a young novice.

noun
(colloquial) Daoist priest
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 老道。
    Zhè wèi lǎo dào shì shān shàng zuì yǒu míng de dào shi.
    This old Daoist is the most famous priest on the mountain.
  • 老道。
    Cūn lǐ de rén dōu lái zhǎo lǎo dào suàn mìng.
    People from the village come to the old Daoist for fortune-telling.
  • 老道。
    Nà ge lǎo dào chuān zhuó yí jiàn huī sè de dào páo.
    That old Daoist wears a gray Daoist robe.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
前缀qiánzhuìPrefix

A fixed syllable in front that adds a shade of meaning but carries none of its own.

老lǎofamiliar tone
道dàoDaoist

老 adds a colloquial, familiar tone to 道, meaning a Daoist priest.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape 老 combines 人 (man), 毛 (hair), and 匕 (cane), showing a man with long hair leaning on a cane.

Open 老 →

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 →
Appears in
Religion & Belief

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