蹬

• Pinyin: dēng
• Hanzi breakdown: 蹬 = 足 + 登 (foot + ascend = to tread/pedal upward)

Meaning

To pedal; to step on; to tread; to push off with the foot. Describes applying downward or backward pressure with one or both feet.

Commonly used in the context of cycling (蹬自行车 — to pedal a bicycle) and describes pushing off with the feet in athletics, martial arts, or dance. Implies a forceful, deliberate foot movement.

Examples

1. 他用力蹬着自行车踏板，飞速冲上了陡峭的山坡。 He pedaled hard and raced up the steep hill.
2. 运动员起跑时用力蹬地，瞬间爆发出强劲的冲刺速度。 At the start, the athlete pushed off hard from the ground and burst into a powerful sprint.
3. 孩子蹬掉了鞋子，赤脚在沙滩上自由奔跑。 The child kicked off his shoes and ran freely barefoot on the beach.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, daily life, movement, cycling

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 她蹬着单车穿越整座城市，享受自由驰骋的感觉。(She pedalled her bicycle across the entire city, enjoying the feeling of free-wheeling.)
• 短跑运动员在起跑架上用力蹬地，一瞬间冲出了跑道。(The sprinter pushed powerfully off the starting block and burst onto the track in an instant.)

Don't Say

• 他蹬了车一脚 — this sounds like kicking a car; use 他踢了车一脚; 蹬 implies a pressing/pedalling motion, not a sideways kick

Origin & History

蹬 = 足 (foot) + 登 (ascend) — to push upward with the foot

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal