拔腿 (bá tuǐ) — to take a step (often as part of starting to run or move quickly); to get away, to free oneself (from a difficult situation)

Definition

拔腿 literally 'pull one's legs' and means to start moving quickly, often as in 'take off running' or get away from trouble. It emphasizes the sudden start of running, not a single step.

verb
to take a step (often as part of starting to run or move quickly)to get awayto free oneself (from a difficult situation)

Examples

  • ，拔腿。
    Tīng dào jǐng bào, tā bá tuǐ jiù pǎo.
    Upon hearing the alarm, he took off running.
  • 拔腿。
    Tā xiǎng bá tuǐ lí kāi zhè ge fán nǎo de dì fāng.
    He wanted to get away from this troubled place.
  • 。
    Tā bá le tuǐ jiù chōng chū fáng jiān.
    He took a step and rushed out of the room.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

拔bápull up
腿tuǐleg

拔 (pull up) and 腿 (leg) together suggest lifting the leg to start moving.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
犮
犮bá拔bá
Same sound today

In 拔, the left side 扌 is a hand and the right side 犮 gives the sound; the shape pictures a hand pulling.

Open 拔 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
肉肉ròuflesh
Sound part声符shēngfú
退
退tuì腿tuǐ
Same sound today

The 肉 part is flesh, showing a body part; the 退 part gives the sound.

Open 腿 →

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