脚

• Pinyin: jiǎo
• Hanzi breakdown: 脚 = 月 (body/flesh radical) + 却 (phonetic component); body part related character.

Meaning

Foot; feet. The lower extremity of the leg used for walking and standing.

Refers to the human foot. Used in everyday contexts like 洗脚 (wash feet), 脚疼 (foot hurts), and in compounds like 脚步 (footstep). Also used figuratively as the base or bottom of something (山脚 — foot of a mountain).

Examples

1. 我的脚有点疼。 My foot hurts a little.
2. 他的脚很大，穿四十二号的鞋。 His feet are big — he wears size 42 shoes.
3. 走了一天，脚好累。 After walking all day, my feet are so tired.

Usage Guide

Context: body, health, everyday

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 我的脚受伤了。(My foot is injured.)
• 请把脚放下来。(Please put your feet down.)

Don't Say

• 不要把脚和腿混用 (Don't confuse 脚 with 腿 — 脚 means foot specifically, while 腿 means leg)

Origin & History

Composed of 月/肉 (flesh/body radical) and 却 (phonetic component). Originally referred specifically to the lower leg, later narrowed to mean the foot.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal