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趑 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
趑zīto falter; to be unable to movex, 13 strokes, radical 走
趑zīunable to moveunknown, 13 strokes, radical 走
zī(zi1) T1
  1. 1to falter; to be unable to move
  2. 2unable to move
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March 24, 2026

趑zī(zi1)

The character 趑 (zī) refers to the action of faltering or being unable to move forward. It can describe a physical state of hesitation or a metaphorical sense of indecision. This term is not commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more relevant in literary or poetic contexts.

Strokes13Radical走
Cultural Note

In Chinese literature, characters representing hesitation or indecision often reflect deeper philosophical themes about the human condition. The use of 趑 may evoke imagery of a traveler weighing their options before taking a step.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person trying to walk forward but their feet are stuck in place, embodying the character's meaning of faltering. The left part of the character, '走' (zǒu, to walk), suggests movement, while the right part, '子' (zǐ, child), can remind you of being held back, like a child hesitant to step forward.

Meanings of 趑

zī(zi1)
1to falter; to be unable to move
2unable to move
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 趑

趑Simplified
13Strokes
走Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 趑

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Podcast: 趑

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AI Study Notes for 趑

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 趑 with other characters that imply movement, such as 走 (zǒu). It's important to note that 趑 specifically emphasizes the inability to move or hesitation rather than just walking. This character is typically used in a literary context, so it may not be suitable for everyday conversation.

HSK Study Tips

While 趑 is not part of the HSK curriculum, understanding its meaning can enhance comprehension of more complex texts. Students should focus on recognizing similar characters related to movement and indecision, such as 走 (zǒu) and 停 (tíng).

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 趑 with similar-sounding characters, leading to incorrect usage. For example, using 趑 instead of 走 when discussing walking would be incorrect; instead, use 走 when referring to movement.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 趑

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Etymology of 趑

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

Unable to put one foot 走 after the other 次; 次 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 趑

  1. 1The giveawayUnable to put one foot 走 after the other 次; 次 also provides the pronunciation
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

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

Want the full history of 趑? 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 趑?

Decomposition of 趑

IDS Structure⿺走次
趑Full Character
=
走zou3
enclosing
次ci4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 趑?

How to say to falter; to be unable to move in Chinese

“to falter; to be unable to move” in Chinese is趑zī

The character 趑 (zī) refers to the action of faltering or being unable to move forward. It can describe a physical state of hesitation or a metaphorical sense of indecision. This term is not commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more relevant in literary or poetic contexts.

When to use 趑

Learners often confuse 趑 with other characters that imply movement, such as 走 (zǒu). It's important to note that 趑 specifically emphasizes the inability to move or hesitation rather than just walking. This character is typically used in a literary context, so it may not be suitable for everyday conversation.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 趑 with similar-sounding characters, leading to incorrect usage. For example, using 趑 instead of 走 when discussing walking would be incorrect; instead, use 走 when referring to movement.

Write 趑

趑

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 趑

Words Containing This Character3
趑趄to advance with difficulty
趑趄不前hesitant and not daring to move forward (idiom)
趑zīto falter
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 趑趄 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 趑

No, 趑 is more frequently encountered in literary contexts rather than in everyday speech.

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