踉跄 (liàng qiàng) — to stagger, to stumble (with unsteady steps)

Definition

Stumbling or staggering — typically from injury, drunkenness, or weakness, often before regaining balance. A more vivid, literary verb than plain 摔/跌 (fall).

verb
to staggerto stumble (with unsteady steps)

Examples

  • ，踉跄。
    Tā hē zuì le, liàng qiàng zhe zǒu huí jiā.
    He got drunk and staggered home.
  • ，踉跄。
    Lǎo rén bèi shí tou bàn le yí xià, liàng qiàng le jǐ bù cái zhàn wěn.
    The old man tripped on a stone and staggered a few steps before steadying himself.
  • 踉跄，。
    Tā cóng zhàn chǎng shàng liàng qiàng zhe pǎo chū lái, hún shēn shì shāng.
    He staggered out of the battlefield, covered in wounds.

Origin

Single-morpheme word
构词法gòucífǎ
联绵liánmiánBound pair

Two characters that only ever appear together, spelling one ancient two-syllable word.

踉liàng
跄qiàng

In “踉跄”, the two characters have no separate meanings here; together they describe staggering.

Sound-only characters

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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