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跖 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
跖zhíthe sole of the footg, 12 strokes, radical 足, rank #49016, Very Hard
zhí(zhi2)zhi T2
  1. 1the sole of the foot
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March 24, 2026

跖zhí(zhi2)

The character 跖 (zhí) refers to the sole of the foot, focusing on the lower part that makes contact with the ground. It is often used in literary or classical contexts, and its nuances may imply concepts related to movement or grounding. This character is less commonly used in everyday conversation compared to its variant 蹠 (zhí).

Strokes12Radical足Frequency#49016DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the sole of the foot is believed to have acupuncture points that correspond to various organs in the body, highlighting the importance of foot care and reflexology in Chinese culture.

Memory tip

Imagine the sole of your foot (the 'foot sole') stepping on a giant 'Z' made of grass (the character's radicals). This visual helps you remember the pronunciation 'zhí' and the meaning, as the foot is literally 'z stepping on grass'.

Meanings of 跖

zhí(zhi2)
1the sole of the foot
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 跖

跖Simplified
12Strokes
足Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 跖

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AI Study Notes for 跖

Usage Notes

Learners might confuse 跖 with similar characters, so pay attention to the context in which it is used. It is more formal and can be found in classical texts rather than in everyday speech. Common collocations include terms related to anatomy or traditional Chinese medicine.

HSK Study Tips

Although 跖 is not part of the HSK curriculum, understanding it can enhance your vocabulary related to anatomy and literature. Focus on recognizing its use in classical texts when studying related words or phrases that describe body parts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 跖 with 蹠 due to their similar meanings and pronunciations. Remember, 蹠 is the more commonly used variant, while 跖 appears mostly in literary contexts.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 跖

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Etymology of 跖

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

foot

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

Origin

跖 = 足 + 石. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 跖

IDS Structure⿰足石
跖Full character
=
足ju4
left
石dan4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 跖?

How to say the sole of the foot in Chinese

“the sole of the foot” in Chinese is跖zhí

The character 跖 (zhí) refers to the sole of the foot, focusing on the lower part that makes contact with the ground. It is often used in literary or classical contexts, and its nuances may imply concepts related to movement or grounding. This character is less commonly used in everyday conversation compared to its variant 蹠 (zhí).

When to use 跖

Learners might confuse 跖 with similar characters, so pay attention to the context in which it is used. It is more formal and can be found in classical texts rather than in everyday speech. Common collocations include terms related to anatomy or traditional Chinese medicine.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 跖 with 蹠 due to their similar meanings and pronunciations. Remember, 蹠 is the more commonly used variant, while 跖 appears mostly in literary contexts.

Write 跖

跖

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Word Family of 跖

Words containing this character1
跖zhímetatarsus

Frequently Asked Questions about 跖

No, it is more frequently found in literary or scientific contexts than in casual speech.

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