How to Write 躔 (chán) — Meaning “orbit; to follow a path”

Imagine a foot (足) walking along a chain of stars in the sky—each star marks a point on an orbit. The right part 廛 sounds like "chain," so picture a "foot chain" that follows a circular path in space.

The left radical 足 requires careful stroke order: first the mouth-like top, then the bottom 止. The right part 廛 starts with 广, followed by 里—do not confuse it with 厘 or 釐. Keep the left and right sides balanced, as 躔 has 22 strokes total.

Unlike 躁 (restless), which has three mouths on the right, 躔 is about celestial orbits. Compared to 躅 (to walk slowly), which uses 蜀 (insect) on the right, 躔 has 廛 and specifically refers to following a path in astronomy. Visually, 躔's right side is more complex with many strokes.

躔 is very rare and mainly appears in astronomy or traditional astrology to describe celestial motion, such as a planet's "躔度" (orbit degree). You will not hear it in daily conversation, but you may see it in classical texts or scientific discussions about orbital paths.

Common words containing 躔 include: 躔度 (chán dù) — degree of celestial movement; orbit; 躔次 (chán cì) — position of a celestial body in its orbit; 运行躔度 (yùn xíng chán dù) — orbital motion of celestial bodies.