Editing Tao (section)

===Phonology===
In modern [[Standard Chinese]], {{zhi|c=道}}'s two primary pronunciations are [[Mandarin phonology#Tones|tonally]] differentiated between falling tone {{zhi|p=dào|l=way, path}} and dipping tone {{zhi|p=dǎo|l=guide, lead}} (usually written as {{zhi|c=導}}).

Besides the common specifications {{zhi|c=道|p=dào|l=way}} and {{zhi|c=道|p=dǎo}} (with variant {{zhi|c=導|l=guide}}), {{zhi|c=道}} has a rare additional pronunciation with the level tone, {{zhi|p=dāo}}, seen in the regional ''[[chengyu]]'' {{zhi|c=神神道道|p=shénshendāodāo|l=odd, bizarre}}, a [[reduplication]] of {{zhi|c=道}} and {{zhi|c=神|p=shén|l=spirit, god}} from northeast China.

In [[Middle Chinese]] ({{circa|6th–10th centuries CE}}) [[tone name]] categories, {{zhi|c=道}} and {{zhi|c=導}} were {{zhi|c=去聲|p=qùshēng|l=departing tone}} and {{zhi|c=上聲|p=shǎngshēng|l=rising tone}}. [[Historical linguistics|Historical linguists]] have reconstructed {{abbr|MC|Middle Chinese}} {{zhi|c=道|l=way}} and {{zhi|c=導|l=guide}} as {{Transliteration|ltc|d'âu-}} and {{Transliteration|ltc|d'âu}} ([[Bernhard Karlgren]]),{{sfnp|Karlgren |1957|p={{page needed|date=November 2023}}}} {{Transliteration|ltc|dau}} and {{Transliteration|ltc|dau}}{{sfnp|Zhou|1972|p={{page needed|date=November 2023}}}} {{Transliteration|ltc|daw<sup>'</sup>}} and {{Transliteration|ltc|daw<sup>h</sup>}},{{sfnp|Pulleyblank|1991|p=248}} {{Transliteration|ltc|daw<sup>X</sup>}} and {{Transliteration|ltc|daws}} (William H. Baxter),{{sfnp|Baxter|1992|pp=753}} and {{Transliteration|ltc|dâu<sup>B</sup>}} and {{Transliteration|ltc|dâu<sup>C</sup>}}.{{sfnp|Schuessler|2007|p={{page needed|date=November 2023}}}}

In [[Old Chinese]] ({{circa|7th–3rd centuries BCE}}) pronunciations, reconstructions for {{zhi|c=道}} and {{zhi|c=導}} are {{Transliteration|och|*d'ôg}} (Karlgren), {{Transliteration|och|*dəw}} (Zhou), {{Transliteration|och|*dəgwx}} and {{Transliteration|och|*dəgwh}},{{sfnp|Li|1971|p={{page needed|date=November 2023}}}} {{Transliteration|och|*luʔ}},{{sfnp|Baxter|1992|pp=753}} and {{Transliteration|och|*lûʔ}} and {{Transliteration|och|*lûh}}.{{sfnp|Schuessler|2007|p={{page needed|date=November 2023}}}}