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March 24, 2026
跄(蹌)qiāng(qiang1)
The character 跄 (qiāng) refers to the act of staggering or stumbling while walking. It conveys a sense of unsteady movement, often implying a lack of balance or control. This word is commonly used in contexts where someone is walking quickly but unevenly, perhaps due to fatigue or distraction.
Strokes11Radical足
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese medicine, staggering can be associated with imbalances in the body, emphasizing the importance of physical stability and health. The concept of balance is often reflected in practices like Tai Chi, where smooth, controlled movements are prized.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person named 'Qiang' who is trying to walk a straight line but keeps stumbling side to side, resembling a drunkard. The character 跄 has the foot radical (走) on the left, indicating movement, combined with the 'qiang' sound, helping you remember that it relates to an unsteady way of walking.
Meanings of 跄
qiāng(qiang1)
primary
1to stagger, to stumble
2walk rapidly
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 跄
跄Simplified
蹌Traditional
11Strokes
足Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 跄
Podcast: 跄
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AI Study Notes for 跄
Quick Contrast
踉 (liāng) - use 跄 (qiāng) when emphasizing a staggering motion due to imbalance, while 踉 (liāng) often suggests a stumbling motion that may not necessarily imply a lack of balance.
Usage Notes
Be cautious not to confuse 跄 with similar-sounding characters like 抢 (qiǎng), which means to grab or snatch. This word is generally informal and might not be used in very polite or formal contexts. Common collocations include phrases like '走路时跄' (stagger while walking).
HSK Study Tips
Although 跄 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it can be linked to other movement-related words at HSK Level 3, such as 跑 (pǎo, to run) or 走 (zǒu, to walk). Students should focus on recognizing the foot radical and understanding the nuances of movement-related verbs.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 跄 with other movement verbs like 走 (zǒu, to walk) or 跑 (pǎo, to run). For example, saying '我走得很跄' (Wǒ zǒu dé hěn qiāng) is incorrect; it should be '我走得很不稳' (Wǒ zǒu dé hěn bù wěn) to correctly express unsteadiness.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 跄
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Phonosemantic compound. 足 represents the meaning and 仓 represents the sound. Simplified form of 蹌.
1The meaning half足 carries the sense.
2The sound half仓 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayfoot
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 跄? 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 跄?
Decomposition of 跄
IDS Structure⿰足仓
跄Full Character
=
足ju4
left
仓cang1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 跄?
How to say to stagger, to stumble in Chinese
“to stagger, to stumble” in Chinese is跄qiāng
The character 跄 (qiāng) refers to the act of staggering or stumbling while walking. It conveys a sense of unsteady movement, often implying a lack of balance or control. This word is commonly used in contexts where someone is walking quickly but unevenly, perhaps due to fatigue or distraction.
When to use 跄
Be cautious not to confuse 跄 with similar-sounding characters like 抢 (qiǎng), which means to grab or snatch. This word is generally informal and might not be used in very polite or formal contexts. Common collocations include phrases like '走路时跄' (stagger while walking).
跄 or something close to it
踉 (liāng) - use 跄 (qiāng) when emphasizing a staggering motion due to imbalance, while 踉 (liāng) often suggests a stumbling motion that may not necessarily imply a lack of balance.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 跄 with other movement verbs like 走 (zǒu, to walk) or 跑 (pǎo, to run). For example, saying '我走得很跄' (Wǒ zǒu dé hěn qiāng) is incorrect; it should be '我走得很不稳' (Wǒ zǒu dé hěn bù wěn) to correctly express unsteadiness.
Write 跄
跄
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Practice writing 跄 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 跄
跄 carries 4 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 5
Complete the Sentence
我踉踉____跄地，不得不抓住一把椅子稳住自己。
I staggered and had to clutch at a chair for support.
