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韜 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
韜tāosheath, scabbard, bow casezg, 19 strokes, radical 韋
tāo(tao1)tao T1
  1. 1sheath, scabbard, bow case
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March 24, 2026

韜tāo(tao1)

The character 韜 (tāo) refers to a sheath or scabbard, typically used for holding a sword or knife. It conveys the idea of protecting or concealing a weapon, symbolizing both safety and readiness. This term is often used in literary or historical contexts, as well as in discussions related to martial arts.

Strokes19Radical韋
Cultural Note

In Chinese history, the concept of a scabbard (韜) is significant in martial traditions, symbolizing the control of power and the importance of readiness in warfare. Many classic texts on strategy, such as 'The Art of War,' discuss the importance of concealment and preparation.

Memory Tip

Imagine a sword being placed into a scabbard (韜) that looks like a protective cover. The top part of the character resembles a roof, symbolizing protection, while the bottom suggests a hidden space where the sword is safely kept. Think of 'tāo' as 'towel' that wraps your sword.

Meanings of 韜

tāo(tao1)
1sheath, scabbard, bow case
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 韜

韜Simplified
19Strokes
韋Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 韜

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Podcast: 韜

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AI Study Notes for 韜

Usage Notes

韜 is generally used in formal contexts, especially in literature or discussions about martial arts. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar characters that imply different types of coverings or containers. Be mindful of tone: 'tāo' is pronounced with a high level tone, which can be confused with other tonal variations.

HSK Study Tips

Although 韜 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, understanding it can enrich your vocabulary related to weapons and protection. Students at this level should focus on recognizing how characters can convey nuanced meanings related to concealment and defense.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 韜 (tāo) with 包 (bāo), thinking they can interchange them, but 包 refers to wrapping or covering rather than a specific protective case. For example, saying '我把剑包在韜里' (I wrapped the sword in the sheath) is incorrect; the correct form is '我把剑放在韜里' (I put the sword in the sheath).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 韜

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Etymology of 韜

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

leather

Semantic (meaning)韋
+
Phonetic (sound)舀
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

韜 = 韋 + 舀. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 韜

IDS Structure⿰韋舀
韜Full Character
=
韋wei2
left
舀yao3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 韜?

How to say sheath, scabbard, bow case in Chinese

“sheath, scabbard, bow case” in Chinese is韜tāo

The character 韜 (tāo) refers to a sheath or scabbard, typically used for holding a sword or knife. It conveys the idea of protecting or concealing a weapon, symbolizing both safety and readiness. This term is often used in literary or historical contexts, as well as in discussions related to martial arts.

When to use 韜

韜 is generally used in formal contexts, especially in literature or discussions about martial arts. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar characters that imply different types of coverings or containers. Be mindful of tone: 'tāo' is pronounced with a high level tone, which can be confused with other tonal variations.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 韜 (tāo) with 包 (bāo), thinking they can interchange them, but 包 refers to wrapping or covering rather than a specific protective case. For example, saying '我把剑包在韜里' (I wrapped the sword in the sheath) is incorrect; the correct form is '我把剑放在韜里' (I put the sword in the sheath).

Write 韜

韜

Practice writing 韜 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 韜

Words Containing This Character6
韬tāoto hide韜
韬光养晦to hide one's light under a bushel韜光養晦
韬略military strategy韜略
邹韬奋Zou Taofen (1895-1944), journalist, political theorist and publisher鄒韜奮
龙韬the imperial guard龍韜
六韬三略"Six Secret Strategic Teachings" 六韜|六韬[Liù​tāo] and "Three Strategies of Huang Shigong" 三略[Sān​lüè], two of the Seven Military Classics of ancient China 武經七書|武经七书[Wǔ​jīng​Qī​shū], attributed to Jiang Ziya 姜子牙[Jiāng​Zǐ​yá]六韜三略
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 韜

What does 韬 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 韜

韜 specifically refers to a sheath or scabbard, while characters like 包 (bāo) mean to wrap or pack, and 盒 (hé) refers to a box.

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