How to Write 蹴 (cù) — Meaning “to kick; to tread on”

Imagine a soccer player kicking a ball with his foot (足) and immediately scoring a goal — that instant success is like "就" (just then). So 蹴 = foot (足) + just happen (就) = a quick kick that happens in one step.

Write the left radical 足 first, with the vertical stroke ending at the bottom, then the right part 就. Note that 就 has a small horizontal stroke before the left-slanting stroke, and the final dot is placed carefully. Keep the character balanced; the left side is narrow, the right side wider.

蹴 (cù) means "to kick" and focuses on a quick foot action, while 蹇 (jiǎn) means "lame" or "difficult" and is often used in names. 蹈 (dǎo) means "to step on" or "to follow" and is more about treading or dancing. Visually, 蹴 uses 就 on the right, 蹇 uses 寒 (cold) partly, and 蹈 uses 舀 (to scoop).

Common words containing 蹴 include: 蹴鞠 (cù jū) — Cuju (ancient Chinese football); 一蹴而就 (yí cù ér jiù) — to succeed in one step; to be accomplished overnight; 蹴踏 (cù tà) — to trample; to tread.