小道 (xiǎo dào) literally 'small path', but its meanings expand far beyond that. It can refer to a literal narrow trail or footpath; a backdoor route or shady means (especially bribery) to achieve a goal; and in Confucian tradition, the 'minor arts' — fields like agriculture, medicine, and divination considered beneath the gentleman (君子). The context determines which sense is active, so you'll see it used in both concrete and figurative registers.