dou6 gaa1道家
Jyutpingdou6 gaa1
Yaledouh gā
Definition
Taoism; the ancient Chinese philosophical school founded by Laozi and Zhuangzi.
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How it's used
Distinguish clearly between 道家 as a philosophical school and 道教 as an organized religion. While they share historical roots and terminology, referring to a philosopher as a religious practitioner or vice versa can be inaccurate in academic or cultural contexts. The term often appears in discussions about traditional Chinese wisdom, wellness, or literary analysis.
Examples
He really likes studying Taoist philosophy.
Do you know what the Taoist doctrine is?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse the philosophical school 道家 with the religious institution 道教. Using them interchangeably ignores the significant difference between a system of thought and a structured faith with rituals and temples.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
