Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
趦 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
趦zīto falter; to be unable to movex, 16 strokes, radical 走
趦zīunable to moveunknown, 16 strokes, radical 走
zī(zi1)zi T1
  1. 1to falter; to be unable to move
  2. 2unable to move
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

趦zī(zi1)

The character 趦 (zī) refers to a state of faltering or being unable to move. It can describe physical hesitation or a metaphorical inability to progress in a situation, often implying a struggle or uncertainty in one’s actions.

Strokes16Radical走
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese literature, characters that describe hesitation or faltering often appear in poems or stories that reflect the struggles of individuals facing obstacles, symbolizing deeper life challenges.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person trying to walk but suddenly stumbling and being unable to move forward—this visual represents the essence of 趦 (zī). The character's form includes the radical for 'movement' (走), emphasizing the concept of motion interrupted.

Meanings of 趦

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

By ear

Play it, then pick what 趦 means.

About 趦

趦Simplified
16Strokes
走Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 趦

JasonAmy

Podcast: 趦

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 趦

Usage Notes

This character is rarely used in modern contexts, so it may not be familiar to many Chinese speakers. When using it, ensure that the context clearly conveys the notion of hesitation or inability to move, as it may be confused with more common terms for faltering.

HSK Study Tips

Although 趦 is not in the HSK vocabulary, it can be linked to other words concerning movement and hesitation in HSK levels 3 and 4. Focus on understanding its components and how they relate to similar words like 走 (zǒu) meaning 'to walk.'

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 趦 with other characters that describe movement like 走 (zǒu). For example, using 趦 in place of 走 would be incorrect; they have different nuances regarding motion and hesitation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 趦

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 趦 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Jason Explains 趦 to You

Let me explain 趦 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 趦 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

How Well Do You Know 趦?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 趦 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 趦

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

walk

Semantic (meaning)走
+
Phonetic (sound)咨
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

趦 = 走 + 咨. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 趦

IDS Structure⿺走咨
趦Full Character
=
走zou3
enclosing
咨zi1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 趦?

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

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

The character 趦 (zī) refers to a state of faltering or being unable to move. It can describe physical hesitation or a metaphorical inability to progress in a situation, often implying a struggle or uncertainty in one’s actions.

When to use 趦

This character is rarely used in modern contexts, so it may not be familiar to many Chinese speakers. When using it, ensure that the context clearly conveys the notion of hesitation or inability to move, as it may be confused with more common terms for faltering.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 趦 with other characters that describe movement like 走 (zǒu). For example, using 趦 in place of 走 would be incorrect; they have different nuances regarding motion and hesitation.

Write 趦

趦

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Ask Jason

Have a question about 趦?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

Word Family of 趦

Words Containing This Character1
趦zīunable to move

Frequently Asked Questions about 趦

No, 趦 is quite rare and mostly found in literary contexts.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 趦?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab