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踏实 (tā shi) — steady, reliable, thorough (of work, study, or character); at ease, settled, free from anxiety (of one's state of mind)

Definition

踏实 covers two senses: steady/thorough in work or character, and feeling at ease. Compare 可靠 (reliability of a person/thing you depend on) and 安心 (relief from worry, only the inner state).

adjective
steadyreliablethorough (of work, study, or character)at easesettledfree from anxiety (of one's state of mind)

Examples

  • 踏实，。
    Tā zuò shì hěn tā shi, cóng bù mǎ hu.
    He works very steadily and never does things carelessly.
  • ，踏实。
    Tīng dào zhè ge xiāo xi, wǒ xīn lǐ cái tā shi xià lái.
    Only after hearing this news did I feel at ease.
  • ，踏实。
    Xué xí yào yí bù yí bù lái, bǎ jī chǔ dǎ tā shi.
    Study should be done step by step, building a solid foundation.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

踏tàtread
实shísolid

踏, 'tread', with 实, 'solid', suggests being firmly set and free from worry.

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
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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Personality & Traits

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