站稳脚跟

站穩腳跟
zhànwěnjiǎogēn
phrase

Meanings

  1. 1 to stand firmly
  2. 2 to gain a foothold
  3. 3 to establish oneself

Examples

Zhè jiā chuàngyè gōngsī huāle sān nián cái zài shìchǎng shang zhànwěn jiǎogēn.
It took the startup three years to gain a foothold in the market.
Tā gāng lái Běijīng, hái méi zhànwěn jiǎogēn.
He just came to Beijing and hasn't found his footing yet.
Qiúduì zài liánsài zhōng zhànwěnle jiǎogēn.
The team has secured its place in the league.

Tips

memory
Literal: (stand) + (steady) + 脚跟 (heels) — stand with your heels steady. Vivid mental image, easy to remember.
usage
Frequent in business, career, and political reporting. The verb form 站稳脚跟 is very common; 脚跟 means to be unable to hold one's ground.

Stroke Order

zhàn
wěn
jiǎo
gēn