碎步 (suì bù) — quick, short steps (as a manner of walking or moving)

Definition

Short, quick steps as a way of walking — typically slow, cautious, or delicate movement, often by the elderly, a dancer, or someone tiptoeing. Often used with 迈着 or 踩着.

noun
quickshort steps (as a manner of walking or moving)

Examples

  • 碎步。
    Tā mài zhe suì bù zǒu jìn le fáng jiān.
    She walked into the room with quick, short steps.
  • 碎步。
    Lǎo rén yòng suì bù màn màn chuān guò mǎ lù.
    The old man slowly crossed the street with short, quick steps.
  • 碎步。
    Wǔ zhě cǎi zhe suì bù zài tái shàng xuán zhuǎn.
    The dancer spun on stage with quick, short steps.

Origin

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.

碎suìshort
步bùstep

碎 gives short or broken and 步 gives step, describing quick short steps.

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
石石shístone
Sound part声符shēngfú
卒
卒zú碎suì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

碎 pairs 石 (stone) with 卒, which gives the sound; the stone part is tied to the sense of breaking or smashing.

Open 碎 →

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

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

Open 步 →

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