How to Write 踱 (duó) — Meaning “to pace; to stroll”

Imagine a person (足) who is measuring (度) their steps by taking slow, careful paces. Picture someone slowly walking back and forth while checking their distance on a ruler. This mental image connects the foot radical with the idea of measured movement to help you remember 踱 means to pace.

Pay attention to the balance: the left side 足 is slightly narrower, while the right side 度 is wider. A common mistake is making the inside of 度 too cramped—be sure to clearly write the strokes for 廿 (two tens) and 又 (again) inside the 广 (lean-to) enclosure. The total stroke count is 16, so take your time with each part.

踱 (duó) means to pace or stroll with measured steps, focusing on slow back-and-forth movement. 䠀 (tǎng, no common usage) often means to lie down or stretch out, and is very rare. 跽 (jì) means to kneel upright, a stationary position. While 踱 shows foot motion, the other two describe static or different body postures.

踱 is used in formal or literary contexts to describe slow, deliberate walking, often for thinking or relaxing, such as 踱来踱去 (pacing back and forth). It appears in classical poetry and modern prose to depict a person lost in thought while walking. In daily conversation, the simpler word 走 (walk) is more common, but 踱 adds a refined, rhythmic quality to the action.

Common words containing 踱 include: 踱步 (duó bù) — to pace; to take a stroll; 踱来踱去 (duó lái duó qù) — to pace back and forth; 慢踱 (màn duó) — to stroll; to pace slowly.