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Glite Dictionary
taotai

taotai

9.9
An official in the past who led a Chinese region and handled trade and taxes
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : taotai
  • When my father was appointed as the taotai of Yangzhou, he became responsible for trade and local governance.

Examples

  • In the Qing dynasty, the taotai played a crucial role in managing foreign relations and regional administration.

  • The taotai played a crucial role in managing the affairs of the region.

  • During the Qing dynasty, a taotai was responsible for collecting taxes and maintaining order.

  • Foreign diplomats often negotiated with the local taotai when visiting Chinese provinces.

  • The taotai of Shanghai managed foreign trade effectively.

  • During the Qing dynasty, a taotai was crucial for local governance.

  • The local merchants sought the favor of the taotai to secure better trading conditions at the port.

Synonyms

mandarin
vstaotai
1 9.9

A high government official in old China chosen by exams to run parts of the country

is a regional governor focused on local rule and foreign trade in treaty ports

Surface Forms

taotai singular
taotais plural

Etymology

Taotai comes from Chinese parts dao and tai, where dao means 'region' or 'area' and tai means 'office' or 'platform'. So a taotai was literally a 'regional officer', which fits the role of a governor who ran a city or port and handled local administration and foreign trade.