Definitions

chǎ (coll.) to trudge (in mud, snow etc)

Etymology

About

The character is a phono-semantic compound formed by the foot radical and the phonetic , with the radical on the left and the phonetic on the right. indicates an action done with the feet or legs, while supplies the sound. The core meaning is to step into soft, yielding material like mud or to wade through shallow water, directly extending from the foot radical. In a less literal sense, can also refer to a heavy, clumsy manner of walking.