# dao

> English word · Noun · IPA /daʊ/ · frequency rank #29,234

## Definitions
1. Any of various traditional Chinese swords with a curved, single-edged blade, primarily used for slashing and chopping.

## Etymology
From Chinese 刀 (dāo, literally “single-edged blade”). Possibly a doublet of dah.

## Easily confused with
- **do** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dao-vs-do)
- **Dr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dao-vs-dr)
- **de** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dao-vs-de)
- **DC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dao-vs-dc)
- **di** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dao-vs-di)
- **DJ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dao-vs-dj)
- **DM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dao-vs-dm)
- **DB** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dao-vs-db)
- **DS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dao-vs-ds)
- **DD** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dao-vs-dd)
- **DL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dao-vs-dl)
- **DT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dao-vs-dt)
- **DP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dao-vs-dp)
- **dw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dao-vs-dw)
- **Dx** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dao-vs-dx)
- **DG** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dao-vs-dg)
- **DV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dao-vs-dv)
- **dy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dao-vs-dy)
- **DQ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dao-vs-dq)
- **did** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dao-vs-did)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/dao