跪

• Pinyin: guì
• Hanzi breakdown: 跪 = 足 (foot) + 危 (danger, phonetic), representing the kneeling posture

Meaning

To kneel; to go down on one's knees. The physical act of bending the knees to rest on the ground.

In Chinese culture, kneeling has deep significance — it can express respect (to elders, ancestors), submission, plea, or humility. Common collocations: 下跪 (kneel down), 跪拜 (kneel and worship), 跪求 (beg on one's knees). In modern slang, 跪了 can mean being blown away by something impressive.

Examples

1. 在传统婚礼上，新人要向父母跪拜敬茶以表感恩。 In traditional weddings, the newlyweds kneel before their parents to serve tea as an expression of gratitude.
2. 他跪在母亲的墓前久久不愿起身，泪水止不住地流下来。 He knelt before his mother's grave for a long time, unwilling to get up, tears streaming down endlessly.
3. 网友看完这个神级操作后纷纷表示跪了，实在太厉害了。 After seeing this god-tier move, netizens all said they were floored — it was just too amazing.

Usage Guide

Context: ceremony, religion, internet slang

Tone: varies

Do Say

• 别跪着了，快起来。(Don't kneel anymore, get up.)
• 看完他的表演我直接跪了。(After watching his performance, I was totally blown away.)

Don't Say

• 对陌生人说跪求 (Don't say 跪求 in formal requests — it's hyperbolic and used mainly online or in casual speech)

Origin & History

Pictophonetic character: 足 (foot) as semantic component indicating leg/foot action, 危 as phonetic component. Depicts the action of bending knees.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal