Character etymology for Elementary - Keys, Wallet, Phone 走

mandarinboy

September 13, 2008, 02:01 PM posted in General Discussion

Let us have a look at 走 (zǒu ,to walk; to go; to move; to leave)  today.

Character: 走

Traditional form: 走  

Pinyin: zǒu

Meaning:  to walk; to go; to move; to leave

Frequency: 202

Strokes: 7

Decomposition:

土 tǔ +

Radical part: 走 zǒu

Radical meaning: run

Stroke animation: (the strokes are drawn the direction the picture is tipping)

 

 

 

Etymology:  Remnant Primitive, a man 土大 with foot 止 - to walk

 

 

 

 

There are also alternative explanations based on earlier versions, like this one: The upper part is the man with his head bend forward to walk rapidly. The lower part (止 龰 ) means to stop. This combination of man moving rapidly and stopping suggest walking or running. This is to me the most plausible one.

Link to nciku usage of the character 走 :

http://www.nciku.com/search/zh/detail/%E8%B5%B0/1320329

Example words

走出 zǒu chū to move away from / to walk away from 

走路 zǒu lù to walk / to go on foot 

走去 zǒu qù to walk over (to) 

逃走 táo zǒu escape / flee 

走掉 zǒu diào to leave 

搬走 bān zǒu to carry 

冲走 chōng zǒu to flush away 

抓走 zhuā zǒu to arrest 

太空行走 tài kōng xíng zǒu spacewalk 

绑走 bǎng zǒu to abduct / to kidnap 

走子 zǒu zǐ a move (in chess) 

走样儿 zǒu yàngr to lose shape / to deform