Original: While the word itself translates as ` way ' , ` path ' , or ` route ' , or sometimes more loosely as ` doctrine ' or ` principle ' , it is often used philosophically to signify the fundamental or true nature of the world .
Simplified: Tao ( , Pinyin Dào ) is a metaphysical concept found in Taoism , Confucianism , and more often in ancient Chinese philosophy .