About
趿 (tā) is a phono-semantic compound with the semantic radical 足 (zú, foot) on the left, indicating a connection to foot-related actions. The right component is 及 (jí, to reach), which provides the pronunciation but no modern semantic meaning. The character describes the casual act of wearing shoes with the heels crushed down or dragging one's feet. It is most commonly used in the compound 趿拉 (tāla), which evokes the shuffling motion of wearing slippers or ill-fitting shoes carelessly.
Etymology Hide
