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脚步 (jiǎo bù) — footstep; step (sound or stride)

Definition

The sound or rhythm of walking, plus figurative 'pace' (of progress, events). Less abstract than 步伐; broader than 步 (single step) and 脚印 (mark left behind).

noun
footstepstep (sound or stride)

Examples

  • 脚步。
    Wǒ tīng jiàn tā de jiǎo bù yuè lái yuè jìn.
    I heard his footsteps getting closer.
  • 脚步，。
    Tā fàng màn le jiǎo bù, hǎo xiàng zài děng shén me rén.
    He slowed his pace, as if waiting for someone.
  • 脚步。
    Chuāng wài chuán lái yí zhèn jí cù de jiǎo bù.
    A burst of hurried footsteps came from outside the window.

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.

脚jiǎofoot
步bùstep

脚 indicates the foot and 步 the step, giving the sound or stride of walking.

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 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5

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