Learn Chinese Characters 155 走

by Caren Zuo



It is easier to learn the 走 after we learn the character “大” and “止”。 It can be divided into two parts. The part above is "大", which is a picture of a human, while the part below is the characer 止，symbol of "toes". The regular script of the character “走”has changed the above into the character "土"，for no reasons. Anyway, it is clear for us to judge its meaning from the part below, that it has something to do with feet or leg. The character “走”means "walk".  

It is interesting that expats in China will also anwer "走路" when they asked "how did you get there". Chinese can get what they mean from their funny expression. I have to say that the correct one is "步行", for that the way that how Chinese say in this situation. But I have to admit that "走路" has nothing wrong if expats can set some popular usages of chinese languages. Anyway, the incorrect usage is becoming gradually accpeted and sometimes Chinese pick it up when they talk to an expats, for the sake of easier communicaton.
Useful Phrases:

走后门 get in by the back door.
走私 smuggle
走一步，看一步 take one step and then look around. go about cautiously.