蹼 (pǔ): web (of a duck's or frog's foot)

Meanings

1 web (of a duck's or frog's foot)
2 webbing between digits
3 swimming fin

Characters

蹼

pǔ

web of foot; webbing between digits

Examples

HSK 7-9

鸭子的脚趾间有蹼，所以它们擅长游泳。

Yāzi de jiǎozhǐ jiān yǒu pǔ, suǒyǐ tāmen shàncháng yóuyǒng.

Ducks have webbing between their toes, which is why they are good at swimming.

HSK 7-9

青蛙的后腿有蹼，有助于在水中推进。

Qīngwā de hòutuǐ yǒu pǔ, yǒuzhùyú zài shuǐzhōng tuījìn.

Frogs have webbing on their hind legs, which helps propel them in water.

Tips

memory

蹼 contains the foot radical 足 (⻊), which makes sense - it's the webbing on feet. Remember: animals with 蹼 (webbed feet) live in or around water.

Components

radical

足 zú

foot

Left foot radical - the indexing radical, pictures a leg with the foot below. Anchors 蹼 in the body-part family with 跑 to run, 跳 to jump, 踢 to kick, 跟 heel. Here it marks the specific anatomy of webbed feet - the foot is the body part being modified.

phonetic

菐 pú

thicket

Right 菐 supplies the sound, drifting from pú to pǔ with a tone shift. The 'thicket' sense plays no part in the meaning; pure sound peg. Same phonetic powers 仆 servant, 朴 simple, 扑 to pounce, 璞 unworked jade - a wide pú/pǔ-family.