How to Write 蹩 (bié) — Meaning “to sprain; to limp; to be awkward”

Imagine your foot (足) is wrapped in a "shabby" bandage (敝) because you sprained it, so you limp awkwardly. The word "shabby" sounds like "shab-ee," which helps you recall the right side. This picture links the visual parts to the meaning of an awkward injury.

Write the radical 足 first, making it narrow and sitting on the left. Then add 敝 on the right, which has 11 strokes and includes a left-side 攵 (rap) — be careful not to confuse it with 敝's top part (a 两点水 followed by 巾). A common mistake is making the 足 radical too wide, which throws off the balance.

蹩 (bié) focuses on awkwardness or inferior quality, as in 蹩脚 (clumsy). In contrast, 踱 (duó) means to pace or stroll slowly, and 踵 (zhǒng) means heel (the body part) or to follow closely. Visually, 踱 uses 度 (degree) on the right, while 踵 uses 重 (heavy) — their right-side components are clearly different from 敝.

蹩 is most common in the word 蹩脚 (bié jiǎo), which describes something as clumsy, shoddy, or of low quality — for example, 蹩脚货 (shoddy goods) or 蹩脚英语 (broken English). It is informal and often used in everyday criticism. Avoid using it in formal writing; it carries a slightly negative, even humorous tone when describing incompetence.

Common words containing 蹩 include: 蹩脚 (bié jiǎo) — clumsy; inferior; shoddy; 蹩脚货 (bié jiǎo huò) — shoddy goods; inferior products; 蹩气 (bié qì) — to feel stifled; to be frustrated.