踟 (chí) · (in 踟蹰) to pace back and forth, to hesitate

Meanings

1 (in 踟蹰) to pace back and forth
2 to hesitate

Characters

踟

chí

to pace hesitantly (in 踟蹰)

Examples

HSK 7-9

他在门口踟蹰，拿不定主意。

Tā zài ménkǒu chíchú, ná bù dìng zhǔyi.

He paced back and forth at the gate, unable to decide.

HSK 7-9

她踟蹰着，不知道该不该进去。

Tā chíchú zhe, bù zhīdào gāi bùgāi jìnqù.

She lingered hesitantly, not knowing whether to go in.

Tips

usage

踟 is bound to 踟蹰, a literary word for pacing about in hesitation. It also appears written as 踟躇.

Components

radical

足 zú

foot

The foot radical 足, in its compressed left-side form, marks 踟 as motion of the feet, here restless pacing.

phonetic

知 zhī

to know

Supplies the sound, drifted from zhī to the modern reading chí. It is the same character seen standing alone as 知.

Stroke Order

踟 chí

Related Words

踟蹰不前 chíchú-bùqián

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

复活 fùhuó HSK 7-9 #3,967

to resurrect; to come back to life / to revive; to bring back

返回 fǎnhuí HSK 5 #3,816

to return to; to go back / to get back to (a place or state)

赶回 gǎnhuí #5,705

to hurry back / to rush back

背后 bèihòu HSK 5 #2,171

behind; at the back / behind someone's back; in secret

还 huán HSK 3 #39

to return (something); to give back / to pay back; to repay / to retaliate; to respond in kind

后背 hòubèi #6,278

back (of the body) / behind one's back

穿梭 chuānsuō HSK 7-9 #9,151

to shuttle back and forth / to weave through; to dart between

撤退 chètuì HSK 7-9 #4,041

to retreat / to withdraw / to pull back

还击 huánjī #8,812

to fight back; to strike back / to counterattack; to retaliate