Wu-Shi-Dao

Japanese Bushido, in Mandarin Wu-Shi-Dao. From the Chinese dictionary:

Wu
(tone 3) from "stop" and "lances," with a general meaning of "military" or "martial." Some common Chinese compounds are: wu-da and wu-shu meaning "martial arts," wu-qi and wu-zhuang meaning "weapons," wu-li meaning "military force".

Shi
(tone 4) from "one" and "ten," with a general meaning of a scholar or gentleman (an educated person). Shi-lin, the "forest" of the shi, is the "intelligentsia" or "literati." Shidaifu is a "scholar official" A man of proper principles, great ability and good character. Before the Han dynasty (ca. 200BC - 200 AD), a member of the military aristocracy; after Han, includes broader meanings of scholar and bureaucrat. Much more than a mere soldier or fighter.

Wu-shi means "knight" or "warrior" or "samurai."


Dao
(tone 4) means way, path, road, or, broader, way of life, as in Daoism, DaoDeJing, etc. Japanese do.

Bushido or Wu-Shi-Dao thus is the way or path of the warrior, samurai or knight.

It’s much more just than a code; it’s a way of life and way to live.