步法 (bù fǎ) — footwork (in dancing, sports, martial arts, etc…

Definition

noun

footwork (in dancing, sports, martial arts, etc.)

Measure word · 种

步法。
Tā de bù fǎ fēi cháng yōu měi.
Her footwork is very graceful.
步法。
Lán qiú yùn dòng yuán de bù fǎ hěn kuài.
The basketball player's footwork is very fast.
，步法。
Wǔ shù zhōng, bù fǎ shì jī chǔ.
In martial arts, footwork is fundamental.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

步 (step) and 法 (method) combine to mean footwork.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

止止步

步 uses two 止 (foot) forms, one reversed, to show one foot stepping in front of the other.

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

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

廌廌zhìa type of antelope or caprid

Sound part声符shēngfú

盍

盍hé法fǎ

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.

Appears in