王道

Chinese

		king; Wang (proper name)	direction; way; method direction; way; method; road; path; principle; truth; reason; skill; Tao (of Taoism); a measure word; to say; to speak; to talk
trad. (王道)		王	道
simp. #(王道)		王	道

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): wángdào

  (Zhuyin): ㄨㄤˊ ㄉㄠˋ

• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): ông-tō

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: wángdào
    • Zhuyin: ㄨㄤˊ ㄉㄠˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: wángdào
    • Wade–Giles: wang²-tao⁴
    • Yale: wáng-dàu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: wangdaw
    • Palladius: вандао (vandao)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /wɑŋ³⁵ tɑʊ̯⁵¹/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ông-tō
    • Tâi-lô: ông-tō
    • Phofsit Daibuun: ongdoi
    • IPA (Xiamen): /ɔŋ²⁴⁻²² to²²/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /ɔŋ²⁴⁻²² to⁴¹/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /ɔŋ¹³⁻²² to²²/
    • IPA (Taipei): /ɔŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ to³³/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /ɔŋ²³⁻³³ tɤ³³/

Noun

王道

1. rule in the way of a legitimate king (as opposed to a despot); benevolent governance

Antonyms

• 霸道 (bàdào)

See also

• 經世／经世 (jīngshì)

Japanese

Kanji in this term
王	道
おう Grade: 1	どう Grade: 2
on’yomi

Etymology

The calqued English sense further derives from Euclid's famous retort to Ptolemy I Soter, who asked of him a simpler way to access the Elements: “Sire, there is no Royal Road to geometry.” (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

王(おう)道(どう) • (ōdō) ^{←ワウダウ (waudau)?}

1. benevolent rule of a country
2. proper technique, a procedure without flaws
3. conventional technique/way

   王道(おうどう)を行(ゆ)く

   ōdō o yuku

   to do (or experience) the conventional way

   王道(おうどう)ポップス

   ōdō poppusu

   classic pop music

4. (calque of English royal road) an easy or painless way to do something

   学問(がくもん)に王道(おうどう)なし。

   Gakumon ni ōdō nashi.

   There is no royal road to learning.

References

• 2001, 日本国語大辞典 (Nihon Kokugo Daijiten) (in Japanese), Tokyo: Shogakukan.