Common Meanings
1
tāo韬
A sheath or scabbard for a bow or sword; a quiver for arrows.
这把古老的弓箭，弓身光洁，箭矢也整齐地插在箭韬之中。
This ancient bow and arrow set features a smooth bow, and the arrows are neatly placed in the quiver.
To hide or conceal one's abilities or talents, as in the idiom "tāo guāng yǎng huì" (韬光养晦), meaning to conceal one's brilliance and bide one's time.
他决定韬光养晦，等待最佳时机东山再起。
He decided to conceal his abilities and bide his time, waiting for the optimal moment to make a comeback.
Military strategy or tactics; the art of war.
这位智者一生钻研兵家韬略，著书立说，流传后世。
This sage dedicated his life to studying military strategies, writing books and establishing theories that have been passed down through generations.