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趄 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
趄jūweak, lamev, 12 strokes, radical 走
趄jūto hesitateunknown, 12 strokes, radical 走
趄jūto reclineunknown, 12 strokes, radical 走
趄jūto mark timeunknown, 12 strokes, radical 走
趄qièweak, lamev, 12 strokes, radical 走
趄qièto hesitateunknown, 12 strokes, radical 走
趄qièto reclineunknown, 12 strokes, radical 走
趄qièto mark timeunknown, 12 strokes, radical 走
jū(ju1)
primary
T1
  1. 1weak, lame
  2. 2to hesitate
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

趄jū(ju1)

The character 趄 (jū) primarily refers to the state of being weak or lame, often in relation to walking or movement. It can also imply the act of reclining or hesitating, suggesting a sense of indecision or pausing in one's actions. This word is less commonly used in everyday conversation but may appear in literary or formal contexts.

Strokes12Radical走
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, physical ability is often linked to one's character and social status, making words describing weakness significant in literature and poetry. The concept of physical frailty has historical connotations in Chinese philosophy, relating to balance and harmony.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person trying to walk but weak and limping, representing the meaning of 'lame.' The character 趄 has the radical for 'foot' (足), which connects to the idea of walking, while the top part suggests a sense of leaning or reclining.

Meanings of 趄

jū(ju1)
primary
1weak, lame
2to hesitate
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 趄

趄Simplified
12Strokes
走Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 趄

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Podcast: 趄

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AI Study Notes for 趄

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 趄 with similar words like 跌 (diē, to fall) or 蹒跚 (pánshān, to walk unsteadily). In formal writing, it may describe a person’s physical state or metaphorically represent hesitation. Be cautious with the tones, as jū is pronounced with a high tone.

HSK Study Tips

Though 趄 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding it can enhance comprehension of more complex texts at higher levels. Focus on recognizing it in context, particularly in literature or formal writing, to deepen your grasp of nuanced meanings.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use 趄 in contexts that require more common expressions for weakness, such as 弱 (ruò, weak). For example, saying '他很趄' (tā hěn jū) instead of '他很弱' (tā hěn ruò) is incorrect; the latter is more appropriate in everyday conversation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 趄

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Etymology of 趄

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

walk

Semantic (meaning)走
+
Phonetic (sound)且
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 趄

  1. 1The meaning half走 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half且 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywalk
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 趄? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 趄?

Decomposition of 趄

IDS Structure⿺走且
趄Full Character
=
走zou3
enclosing
且qie3
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 趄?

How to say weak, lame in Chinese

“weak, lame” in Chinese is趄jū

The character 趄 (jū) primarily refers to the state of being weak or lame, often in relation to walking or movement. It can also imply the act of reclining or hesitating, suggesting a sense of indecision or pausing in one's actions. This word is less commonly used in everyday conversation but may appear in literary or formal contexts.

When to use 趄

Learners often confuse 趄 with similar words like 跌 (diē, to fall) or 蹒跚 (pánshān, to walk unsteadily). In formal writing, it may describe a person’s physical state or metaphorically represent hesitation. Be cautious with the tones, as jū is pronounced with a high tone.

What learners get wrong

Learners may mistakenly use 趄 in contexts that require more common expressions for weakness, such as 弱 (ruò, weak). For example, saying '他很趄' (tā hěn jū) instead of '他很弱' (tā hěn ruò) is incorrect; the latter is more appropriate in everyday conversation.

Write 趄

趄

Practice writing 趄 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 趄

趄 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

他失去平衡,往后趔____了一下,撞到栏杆摔倒了。

He lost his balance, staggered back against the rail and toppled over.

Example Sentences for 趄 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他失去平衡,往后趔趄了一下,撞到栏杆摔倒了。

tā shī qù píng héng, , wǎng hòu liè qiè le yī, xià , zhuàng dào lán gān shuāi。

He lost his balance, staggered back against the rail and toppled over.

Word Family of 趄

Words Containing This Character4
趔趄to stagger
趄jūto hesitate
趑趄to advance with difficulty
趑趄不前hesitant and not daring to move forward (idiom)
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 趔趄 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 趄

No, 趄 is more often found in literary or formal contexts rather than in everyday speech.

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