In China reading the Chinese characters gives much imagery and meaning to the words.
The Chinese character for Dào (Tao) is:
道
This word can be separated into two parts:
首 辶
The first one is a symbol for the head, and the second is a symbol for walking on a path. So we can interpret this as someone walking on a path.
Pīnyīn
Pīnyīn is a system that romanizes Chinese characters and makes it easier to learn and pronounce Chinese words using the Latin alphabet. They use accents on the words for the different tonalities which is the hardest part of speaking Chinese, pronouncing the words.
Officially adopted by the People’s Republic of China in 1958 it has become the global standard for teaching and learning Chinese. It helps with pronunciation, tones, and reading, making Chinese more accessible to non-native speakers. For people who don't speak Chinese, like myself, it makes it easier to read street signs and have an idea of where you are going.
Dào is the pīnyīn spelling for what we call Tao in the West.
Spelling it as 'Tao' comes from the Wade-Giles system, which was developed in the mid-nineteenth century and finalized in 1892.
Regardless of which romanization system is used, Dào is expected to be pronounced 'Dow.'
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