Translation and Meaning of: 道 - michi

The Japanese word 「道」 (michi) transcends a simplistic translation of "path" or "road," encompassing deeper and spiritual meanings. Etymologically, 「道」 is composed of the radical 「辶」 which represents "movement" or "path," and the phonetic element 「首」, which refers to "first" or "head." Together, these elements evoke the idea of a main trajectory or path to be followed, both literally and figuratively.

In broader terms, 「道」 is central to various philosophies and traditional practices of Japan and East Asia. For example, in the context of Taoism, the Chinese version of the word, "Tao", means the "way" or underlying "principle" that structures the universe. Hence comes the idea of something that is not only physical but also spiritual and philosophical, reflecting a way of life that is in harmony with the cosmos.

In Japanese daily life, 「道」 is also used in various contexts, from the literal to the more metaphorical. The word appears in combinations such as 「剣道」 (kendo, "the way of the sword"), 「柔道」 (judo, "the gentle way"), or 「茶道」 (sado, "the way of tea"), indicating disciplines or practices that follow a specific path of physical, mental, and spiritual development.

The influence of 「道」 in Japanese culture demonstrates the importance of balance and harmony in everyday life. Thus, 「道」 is not just a physical route, but a fundamental concept that can guide personal and philosophical decisions, reflecting the essence of seeking a harmonious path in all facets of life. Considering the richness of this term, it invites us to reflect on what our own journey means and the paths we choose to follow.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 街路 (gairo) - Public street or road, usually in urban areas.
• 道路 (dōro) - Path or road, usually referring to traffic ways.
• 通り (tōri) - Street or passage; it can also refer to commercial areas.
• 途中 (tochū) - On the way, during the journey, refers to an intermediate point.
• 途上 (tojō) - Similar to 途中, but relatively more formal, usually used in specific contexts.
• 途中道路 (tochū dōro) - Road in the middle of the way, referring to a route in a journey.
• 途上道路 (tojō dōro) - Road in an intermediate state, more formal than 途中道路.
• 通行 (tsūkō) - Traffic, passage; refers to the act of transiting through a path.
• 通行路 (tsūkō ro) - Road or passageway; refers to a specific route for transit.
• 通路 (tsūro) - Path or corridor; more commonly used in internal contexts.
• 交通路 (kōtsū ro) - Traffic road; refers to routes designated for transportation.
• 交通道路 (kōtsū dōro) - Public transport road; more focused on vehicle movement.
• 通行許可 (tsūkō kyoka) - Passage permission; authorization to use a specific route.
• 通行止め (tsūkō dome) - Prohibition of passage, traffic blockage on a road.
• 通行禁止 (tsūkō kinshi) - Prohibition of passage, a more formal term for traffic restriction.
• 通行止める (tsūkō domeru) - Block the passage; act of preventing traffic on a road.
• 通行する (tsūkō suru) - To carry out the act of transiting; verb to refer to traffic.
• 通行量 (tsūkō ryō) - Traffic volume; the number of vehicles or people using a road.
• 通行人 (tsūkō nin) - People who move; refers to pedestrians or travelers on a route.
• 通行料 (tsūkō ryō) - Toll; any cost associated with the use of a road.
• 通行権 (tsūkō ken) - Right of way; legal right to travel on a roadway.
• 通行手形 (tsūkō tegata) - Authorization document for passage; more specific in legal contexts.
• 通行税 (tsūkōzei) - Toll; government tax on the use of certain roads.
• 通行止めにする (tsūkō dome ni suru) - Decide to block the passage; the act of officially creating a prohibition.
• 通行止めになる (tsūkō dome ni naru) - Become a roadblock; it refers to a situation where a route is officially closed.
• 通行止めになること (tsūkō dome ni naru koto) - The fact of becoming a blockage; implies the condition of a route being permanently closed.
• 通行止めになる場合 (tsūkō dome ni naru baai) - Case in which it becomes a blockage; reference to circumstances that lead to a blockage of passage.
• 通行止めになる理由 (tsūkō dome ni naru riyū) - Reasons for a blockage; justification for the ban on passage.
• 通行止めになる時間 (tsūkō dome ni naru jikan) - Time it takes to become a blockage; duration of the blockage of passage.
• 通行止めになる期間 (tsūkō dome ni naru kikan) - Duration of a blockage; time interval during which the road will be closed.

道

Romaji: michi
Kana: みち
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n5

Translation / Meaning: estrada; rua; caminho; método

Meaning in English: road;street;way;method

Definition: A space that refers to a place or position and is used for passage and movement.

Example Sentences - (道) michi

See below some example sentences:

緩やかな坂道を登るのは気持ちがいいです。

Yuruyaka na sakamichi wo noboru no wa kimochi ga ii desu

It is pleasant to climb a soft hill.

It is good to climb a smooth slope.

• 緩やかな (yuruyaka na) - smooth, gradual
• 坂道 (sakamichi) - hill, slope
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 登る (noboru) - climb
• のは (no wa) - Topic particle
• 気持ちがいい (kimochi ga ii) - feel good, pleasant
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar in the present

下りの坂道を歩くのは大変です。

Kudari no sakamichi wo aruku no wa taihen desu

Descer uma colina é difícil.

É difícil caminhar pela ladeira.

• 下りの坂道 - descida de uma colina
• を - object particle
• 歩く - to walk
• のは - Topic particle
• 大変 - difícil, árduo
• です - verb to be, to stay

高速道路を走るのは楽しいです。

Kousoku douro wo hashiru no wa tanoshii desu

É divertido dirigir em uma rodovia de alta velocidade.

É divertido correr na estrada.

• 高速道路 - rodovia expressa
• を - direct object particle
• 走る - correr, dirigir
• のは - particle that indicates topic
• 楽しい - Fun, pleasant
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

道徳は人間の行動規範である。

Dōtoku wa ningen no kōdō kihan de aru

Moralidade é a norma de comportamento humano.

A moralidade é um código de atividade humano.

• 道徳 - moralidade
• は - Topic particle
• 人間 - Human being
• の - Possessive particle
• 行動 - comportamento
• 規範 - norma
• である - is

違う道を行く。

Chigau michi wo iku

Take a different path.

• 違う - Japanese word meaning "different" or "wrong"
• 道 - Japanese word meaning "path" or "road"
• を - Direct object particle in Japanese.
• 行く - Japanese word meaning "to go" or "to walk"
• . - punctuation mark indicating the end of the sentence

酔っ払いは道路で寝ていた。

Yopparai wa dōro de nete ita

O bêbado estava dormindo na estrada.

Bêbado estava dormindo na estrada.

• 酔っ払い - embriagado, bêbado
• は - Topic particle
• 道路 - estrada, rua
• で - Location particle
• 寝ていた - estava dormindo

この道路は舗装されています。

Kono dōro wa hosō sarete imasu

Esta estrada está pavimentada.

• この道路 - esta estrada
• は - (topic particle)
• 舗装されています - está pavimentada

鉄道は日本の交通手段の一つです。

Tetsudou wa Nihon no koutsu shudan no hitotsu desu

As ferrovias são um dos meios de transporte do Japão.

A ferrovia é um dos meios de transporte do Japão.

• 鉄道 - significa "ferrovia" em japonês.
• は - é uma partícula gramatical japonesa que indica o tópico da frase, neste caso, "ferrovia".
• 日本 - significa "Japão" em japonês.
• の - é uma partícula gramatical japonesa que indica posse ou pertencimento, neste caso, "do Japão".
• 交通手段 - significa "meio de transporte" em japonês.
• の - novamente, indica posse ou pertencimento, neste caso, "de meio de transporte".
• 一つ - significa "um" em japonês, neste caso, "um dos meios de transporte".
• です - It is a polite way to say "is" in Japanese.

道は左に曲がる。

Michi wa hidari ni magaru

The road turns left.

The road turns left.

• 道 - means "path" in Japanese
• は - It is a grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence.
• 左 - means "left" in Japanese
• に - is a grammatical particle that indicates the direction or location
• 曲がる - means "turn" or "fold" in Japanese

道路は交通の要である。

Douro wa koutsuu no you de aru

As estradas são essenciais para o tráfego.

A estrada é a chave para o tráfego.

• 道路 (douro) - estrada
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 交通 (koutsuu) - tráfego, transporte
• の (no) - Possession particle
• 要 (you) - essencial, importante
• である (dearu) - ser, estar