踌 (chóu): (in 踌躇) to hesitate; to waver

Meanings

1 (in 踌躇) to hesitate; to waver

Characters

踌

chóu

(in 踌躇) to hesitate

Examples

他踌躇了半天，拿不定主意。

Tā chóuchú le bàntiān, ná bù dìng zhǔyi.

He hesitated for a long time and could not decide.

获奖后她踌躇满志。

Huòjiǎng hòu tā chóuchúmǎnzhì.

After winning the award she was thoroughly pleased with herself.

Tips

usage

踌 is a bound character: it has no independent use and appears only in 踌躇 (to hesitate) and 踌躇满志 (smugly self-satisfied). Learn it as half of that pair, never alone.

Components

radical

足 zú

foot

The foot radical on the left. Many 足 characters involve stepping or pacing; here it suits 踌躇, to pace back and forth in indecision.

phonetic

寿 shòu

long life

Supplies the sound, read 寿 on its own but shifted to chóu here. It carries no meaning in this character, only the phonetic cue.

Stroke Order

踌 chóu

Related Words

踌躇 chóuchú #26,107

to hesitate / to waver / to pace back and forth (literary)

踌躇满志 chóuchú-mǎnzhì #53,680

smugly self-satisfied / enormously pleased with one's success / complacent after accomplishment

踟蹰不前 chíchú-bùqián

to hesitate to advance / to waver and not move forward / irresolute

躇 chú

(in 踌躇) to hesitate; to waver

游移不定 yóuyí-bùdìng

to waver indecisively / to fluctuate without resolve / to hesitate; can't make up one's mind

徨 huáng

(in 彷徨) to pace back and forth; to hesitate; to waver

犹豫 yóuyù HSK 5 #4,494

to hesitate; to be indecisive / hesitant; irresolute

不惜 bùxī HSK 7-9 #4,489

not hesitate to / not spare / at any cost

摇摆 yáobǎi HSK 7-9 #5,952

to sway / to swing / to waver / to vacillate

踟 chí

(in 踟蹰) to pace back and forth / to hesitate