TongTong
Sign in

脚踏实地 (jiǎo tā shí dì) — down-to-earth, realistic, practical; (idiom) to be firmly grounded in reality

Definition

A chengyu describing a person's character — 'down-to-earth, practical, working step by step rather than daydreaming.' Unlike 切实 (plans/feasibility) or 实际 (objective reality), it describes someone's steady, grounded attitude.

phrase
down-to-earthrealisticpractical
idiom
to be firmly grounded in reality

Examples

  • 脚踏实地，。
    Tā zuò shì yí xiàng jiǎo tā shí dì, cóng bù kōng xiǎng.
    He has always been down-to-earth in his work and never indulges in fantasies.
  • 脚踏实地。
    jiǎo tā shí dì De tài dù shì chéng gōng de guān jiàn.
    A down-to-earth attitude is the key to success.
  • 脚踏实地，。
    Nián qīng rén yào jiǎo tā shí dì, yí bù yí gè jiǎo yìn dì jìn bù.
    Young people need to be practical and make steady progress step by step.

Origin

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 腳; 脚 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat, body
Sound part声符shēngfú
卻
卻què腳jiǎo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 腳 uses ⺼ for a body part and 卻 for the sound; the simplified 脚 is a later shorthand.

Open 脚 →

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
足足zúfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
沓
沓tà踏
Same sound today

踏 has 足 (foot) as its left part to show a foot-related meaning, and 沓 as its right part to give the sound.

Open 踏 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 實; 实 is its simplified writing.

  • 宀宀miánroof
  • 周周zhōucarved jade
  • 貝貝bèishellfish; cowrie

The traditional form 實 has 宀 'roof' above 周 'carved jade' and 貝 'cowrie'; the simplified 实 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 实 →

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
也
也yě地dì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

地 is built from 土 (earth) and 也, which gives its sound.

Open 地 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Idioms & Set PhrasesPersonality & Traits

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.