Definitions
walk with short steps
Etymology
About
The character 蹐 has a phono-semantic structure: it combines the semantic radical 足 'foot' on the left, indicating walking or movement, with the phonetic component 脊 on the right. It denotes walking with very short, mincing, highly constrained steps. In classical literature, this walking style serves as a metaphor for intense fear, extreme caution, or deep reverence, evoking someone who treads so carefully they dare not take a full stride. It frequently appears in fixed historical idioms about acting with utmost circumspection or navigating extremely precarious political and social situations.
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