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March 24, 2026
韬(韜)tāo(tao1)
The character 韬 (tāo) primarily refers to a sheath or scabbard, used for concealing weapons like swords. It also conveys the idea of hiding or safeguarding something, often in a military context, indicating strategies for concealment and protection in warfare.
Strokes14Radical韦Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of strategy and concealment is deeply rooted in historical military texts, such as 'The Art of War' by Sun Tzu, where the ability to hide one's intentions is emphasized for successful warfare.
Memory Tip
Imagine a sword placed in its scabbard, hidden from view. The character 韬 resembles a person (the top part) placing a weapon (the bottom part, representing the sword) into a protective case, thus connecting the visual of 'hiding' with its pronunciation 'tāo'.
Meanings of 韬
tāo(tao1)
1sheath, scabbard, bow case
2bow case or scabbard
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 韬
韬Simplified
韜Traditional
14Strokes
韦Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 韬
Podcast: 韬
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AI Study Notes for 韬
Quick Contrast
刀鞘 (dāoqiào, sword sheath) — use 韬 (tāo) when emphasizing concealment or strategy, while 刀鞘 refers specifically to a sheath for swords.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a sword placed in its scabbard, hidden from view. The character 韬 resembles a person (the top part) placing a weapon (the bottom part, representing the sword) into a protective case, thus connecting the visual of 'hiding' with its pronunciation 'tāo'.
Usage Notes
While 韬 is more literary and may not frequently appear in everyday conversation, it can be used in formal contexts, particularly in discussions about military strategy. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words; pay attention to the fourth tone to ensure clarity.
HSK Study Tips
Though 韬 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to other characters related to strategy and concealment, such as 隐 (yǐn, to hide) and 战 (zhàn, battle). Focus on the context in which this character is used to enhance your understanding of strategic language in Chinese.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of strategy and concealment is deeply rooted in historical military texts, such as 'The Art of War' by Sun Tzu, where the ability to hide one's intentions is emphasized for successful warfare.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 韬 with 隐 (yǐn), which also means to hide but has a broader application. For example, saying '他韬了我的秘密' (He hid my secret) is incorrect; it should be '他隐瞒了我的秘密' (He concealed my secret).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 韬
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Grammar Patterns of 韬
韬 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
“ 可是她和 赵伯____ 带点儿亲? 嗳,我是说你那个女朋友,姓刘的. ”
" But this friend of yours is related to Chao Po - tao , isn't she? "
Example Sentences for 韬 (4)
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1
“ 可是她和 赵伯韬 带点儿亲? 嗳,我是说你那个女朋友,姓刘的. ”
“ “ kě shì tā hé zhào bó tāo dài? diǎn, ér qīn ? ǎi , wǒ shì shuō nǐ, nà gè nǚ.”
" But this friend of yours is related to Chao Po - tao , isn't she? "
But Chao Po - tao smoked on without a word and hardly glanced at Li Yu - ting.
4
李玉亭惊异地张大了嘴巴, 不懂得赵伯韬这番举动的作用.
lǐ yù tíng jīng yì dì zhāng dà le zuǐ bā, , bù dǒng dé zhào bó tāo zhè fān jǔ dòng de zuò.
Li Yu - ting gaped in wonder, wondering what the purpose of this move was.
Cultural Notes for 韬
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of strategy and concealment is deeply rooted in historical military texts, such as 'The Art of War' by Sun Tzu, where the ability to hide one's intentions is emphasized for successful warfare.
Word Family of 韬
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[Liùtāo] and "Three Strategies of Huang Shigong" 三略[Sānlüè], two of the Seven Military Classics of ancient China 武經七書|武经七书[WǔjīngQīshū], attributed to Jiang Ziya 姜子牙[JiāngZǐyá]六韜三略
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 韬 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 韬
You can use 韬 to describe a military strategy, for example: '他使用了韬光养晦的策略' (He used a strategy of hiding his light and biding his time).
It's more commonly found in literary or formal contexts rather than everyday speech, so be mindful of the setting in which you use it.
Yes, similar concepts can be expressed with 隐 (yǐn, to hide) or 藏 (cáng, to conceal) depending on the context.
