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The character 跹 is a phono-semantic compound: the left-side 足 radical signifies feet, walking, or movement, while the right-side phonetic was originally 遷 in 躚, providing the pronunciation; this was simplified to 迁 to form the modern 跹. It is used almost exclusively in the compound 翩跹, which describes a light, elegant dancing movement or the graceful fluttering of garments and birds, a rhythmic, airborne stepping motion that defines the character's meaning.
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