辙

轍

zhé

攵 + 育 + 车

Definitions

zhé (noun) rut; track; wheel tracks

zhé (noun) way; method

Etymology

Something left 育 by a cart 车 when it moves 攵

About

The character 辙 is a phono-semantic compound with the vehicle radical 车 (車 in traditional form 軍) on the left, providing the semantic category of carts or carriages. The right side, 撤, serves as the phonetic component, corresponding to the right part of 徹 in the traditional character 軍. Originally, 辙 referred literally to the wheel ruts or tracks left by carts on unpaved roads. Over time, this concrete meaning extended metaphorically to denote a set path, a historical precedent, or an established method, signifying a course of action shaped by past events or individuals.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

路上有深深的车辙。

Lù shang yǒu shēnshēn de chēzhé.

There are deep wheel ruts on the road.

车轮陷在泥辙里了。

Chēlún xiàn zài ní zhé lǐ le.

The wheel got stuck in the muddy rut.

他决定不再重蹈父亲的覆辙。

Tā juédìng bù zài chóngdǎo fùqīn de fùzhé.

He decided not to repeat his father's mistakes.

这两件事的发展如出一辙。

Zhè liǎng jiàn shì de fāzhǎn rú chū yī zhé.

The development of these two matters is identical.

写诗要讲究合辙押韵。

Xiě shī yào jiǎngjiu hézhé yāyùn.

Writing poetry requires attention to rhyme and rhythm.

在困境中，他试图寻找新的路辙。

Zài kùnjìng zhōng, tā shìtú xúnzhǎo xīn de lùzhé.

In the difficult situation, he tried to find a new path.

历史常有惊人的相似之辙。

Lìshǐ cháng yǒu jīngrén de xiāngsì zhī zhé.

History often has strikingly similar tracks.

面对失败，他果断改弦易辙，调整了策略。

Miàn duì shībài, tā guǒduàn gǎi xián yì zhé, tiáozhěng le cèlüè.

Facing failure, he decisively changed course and adjusted his strategy.

Related Characters

Component: 攵

Component: 育

Component: 车

辙