Meaning of dào shǔ:
倒数
to count backwards (from 10 down to 0); to count down
Zài xīnnián yè, rénmen yīqǐ kāishǐ dàoshǔ.
在新年夜,人们一起开始倒数。
On New Year's Eve, people begin to count backwards together.
Xīn nián yè, wǒmen yīqǐ kāishǐ dào shǔ.
新年夜,我们一起开始倒数。
On New Year's Eve, we start to count down together.
from the bottom (lines on a page)
Tā zài kǎoshì zhōng dé le dào shǔ dì sān míng.
他在考试中得了倒数第三名。
He ranked third from the bottom in the exam.
from the back (rows of seats)
Tā zuò zài zuìhòu yī pái de dào shǔ dì èr gè zuòwèi.
他坐在最后一排的倒数第二个座位。
He sits in the second seat from the back row.
inverse number; reciprocal (math.)
Zài shùxué zhōng, wǔ de dào shù shì wǔ fēn zhī yī.
在数学中,五的倒数是五分之一。
In mathematics, the inverse of five is one-fifth.
Lìrú sān de dào shù shì sān fēn zhī yī.
例如三的倒数是三分之一。
For example, the reciprocal of three is one-third.