2 syllables: Dao, ism. Stress on Dao.
DOW-iz-uhm
/ˈdaʊ.ɪ.zəm/
Daoism is pronounced DOW-iz-uhm (/ˈdaʊ.ɪ.zəm/). It has two syllables (Dao-ism), with the stress on "Dao". Daoism is a philosophical and religious tradition rooted in the teachings attributed to Laozi and the Dao (often translated as the Way). It emphasizes living in harmony with the Dao through simplicity, naturalness, and wu wei (non-action). The term encompasses various schools and practices, shaping beliefs, rituals, and ethics across East Asia for centuries. It is widely studied as Chinese philosophy and religious practice.
nounDaoism is a philosophical and religious tradition rooted in the teachings attributed to Laozi and the Dao (often translated as the Way). It emphasizes living in harmony with the Dao through simplicity, naturalness, and wu wei (non-action). The term encompasses various schools and practices, shaping beliefs, rituals, and ethics across East Asia for centuries. It is widely studied as Chinese philosophy and religious practice.
"- Scholars debate the historical origins of Daoism and its foundational texts."
"- Daoism has influenced traditional Chinese medicine, art, and acyclic philosophies."
"- Some practitioners pursue Daoism as a spiritual path rather than a formal religion."
Daoism is pronounced /ˈdaʊ.ɪz.ɪz.əm/ in US English and /ˈdaʊ.ɪ.zɪ.z.əm/ in UK/AU varieties. The primary stress sits on the first syllable DAU-, with a secondary, less stressed -ism segment. Break it into four parts: DAU- (like 'dau' in 'dawn' with a short vowel),-i- (short i as in 'bit'), -z- (soft z as in 'zone'), -ism (uhm with a schwa). Listening to a native speaker or a pronunciation resource will help lock the rhythm and vowel quality. See audio references linked in resources for precise articulation.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (treating it as a single-syllable word) and mispronouncing the final -ism as a separate long syllable. People often replace the first syllable with a hard 'dau' as in 'dawn' then tense the middle vowels, producing /ˈdaʊ.ɒz.ɪz/ instead of /ˈdaʊ.ɪz.ɪz.əm/. To correct it, keep the final -ism’s neutral schwa and a light, quick 'm' ending; ensure the middle syllable uses a short, clipped 'i' as in 'sit' rather than a long 'ee' sound.
In US English, Daoism typically has five segments with strong initial /ˈdaʊ/ and a pronounced final /əm/. UK/AU varieties may merge the unstressed final into /ə/ or /ɪz.əm/ depending on syllabic reduction, sometimes sounding /ˈdaʊ.ɪ.zɪ.z.əm/ with less emphasis on the second 'i' vowel. Rhoticity mainly affects the stress and rhythm rather than core vowels here, since /ˈdaʊ/ sits clearly at the start in all noted accents. Practicing with listening examples helps reveal subtle vowel length and syllable timing differences.
The difficulty comes from the multi-syllabic structure and the sequence of vowels: /ˈdaʊ/ (diphthong) followed by a short /ɪ/ and a final /z.ɪ.z.əm/ cluster. English speakers may underpronounce the final schwa or drop a syllable, producing /ˈdaʊ.zɪz/ or /ˈdaʊ.ɪz.ɪz/. The 'oi' sound in 'Dao' is not an English grapheme-phoneme straightforward mapping for many learners, and the final unstressed -ism tends toward a reduced vowel. Focus on maintaining four distinct segments with precise stress.
The main stress falls on the first syllable DAU- and the second 'i' is lightly stressed in careful speech as part of the internal -is- sequence. The final -m is not strongly stressed, and the -ism tends to be reduced in fast speech. In careful, deliberate speech you’ll hear da-OU-iz-iz-em with clearer segmentation between syllables, whereas in rapid speech you might hear /ˈdaʊɪz.ɪz.əm/ with less distinct inner syllables.
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Daoism derives from the Chinese words Dao (道), meaning “the Way,” and -ism, a suffix indicating a doctrine or system. Dao (often transliterated Tao) is a fundamental concept in Chinese philosophy referring to the underlying principle of the universe. The term was first recorded in classical texts associated with Daoist thought, with early use appearing in Daoist writings of the 4th century BCE or earlier, though the word Dao as a concept existed in prior philosophical discussions. The adoption of the term Daoism in English became common in the 19th and 20th centuries as scholars translated Chinese religious and philosophical traditions. The Latinized ending -ism is used to classify ideologies and systems, producing terms such as Taoism or Daoism in English; both spellings are used in modern scholarship, with Daoism often preferred by scholars aiming to reflect the pinyin transliteration. Over time, Daoism has come to denote a broad spectrum of practices, texts, rituals, and schools linked by the central concept of living in accordance with the Dao, as opposed to rigid adherence to dogma. In English, the word has been used to describe both philosophical ideas (Daoist philosophy) and organized religious movements (Daoist temples and rites), reflecting its evolution from a theoretical concept to a lived tradition.
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Words that rhyme with "Daoism"
-ism sounds
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