How to Write 脚 (jiǎo) — Meaning “foot”

Q: What is a good memory trick to remember the character 脚?

Think of your foot (脚) as having flesh (⺼ on the left) but (却 means “but” in Chinese) it’s not a hand. Or imagine stepping on a “but” (却) with your fleshy foot to remember the shape.

Q: What should I watch out for when writing 脚?

The left radical ⺼ looks like 月 but has two short horizontal lines inside, not two dots. On the right, 却 is written with 去 first (7 strokes) then 卩 (2 strokes). Keep the left side narrow and the right side taller to avoid an unbalanced look.

Q: How is 脚 different from 胃 and 胆?

All three have the ⺼ radical, but their right sides are different: 脚 uses 却, 胃 (stomach) has 田 above ⺼, and 胆 (gallbladder) has 旦. Their meanings are also completely different — foot, stomach, and gallbladder.

Q: When and how is 脚 used in modern Chinese?

It is used for the physical foot, as in 洗脚 (wash feet) or 脚步 (footstep). In culture, 脚踏实地 (stand on solid ground) means being down-to-earth, and feet are often considered less formal or dignified in traditional etiquette.

Q: What common words use 脚?

Common words containing 脚 include: 脚步 (jiǎo bù) — footstep; pace; 洗脚 (xǐ jiǎo) — To wash feet.; 双脚 (shuāng jiǎo) — Both feet.

jiǎo HSK Level 2 11 strokes Radical: ⺼

脚 (jiǎo) means "foot" in Chinese. It has 11 strokes with the radical ⺼, and is HSK Level 2.

Rated 3.7/5 in difficulty (challenging).

Harder than 92% of HSK Level 2 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 脚步 (jiǎo bù), 洗脚 (xǐ jiǎo), 双脚 (shuāng jiǎo).

Due to its 11 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 脚 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Practice Writing 脚 (jiǎo)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 脚 with real-time feedback.

App Store ▶ Google Play

How to Write 脚

The character 脚 (jiǎo) is written with 11 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical ⺼ is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does jiǎo (脚) Mean in Chinese?

脚 means foot.

As an HSK Level 2 character, 脚 is among the first characters beginners learn.

Character Data

Character	脚
Pinyin	jiǎo (jiao)
Meaning	foot
Strokes	11
Radical	⺼
HSK Level	2
Difficulty	3.7/5

Origin of 脚

The character 脚 combines the radical ⺼ (meat/flesh) on the left, indicating a body part, with 却 (què) on the right, which provides phonetic guidance and also suggests retreat or movement. Together, they represent the foot, the fleshy body part used for stepping and walking. The ancient form similarly depicted a foot with flesh, emphasizing its physical nature.

💡 Memory Tip: Picture a meaty foot (⺼) that starts to 'go' (去) but then retreats (却) – that's your foot stepping back.

Common Words with 脚

脚步 jiǎo bù

footstep; pace

洗脚 xǐ jiǎo

To wash feet.

双脚 shuāng jiǎo

Both feet

Example Sentences

听，那是谁的脚步？

tīng nà shì shéi de jiǎo bù

Listen, whose footsteps are those?

睡觉前要洗脚。

shuì jiào qián yào xǐ jiǎo

Wash your feet before going to sleep.

他用双脚走路。

tā yòng shuāng jiǎo zǒu lù

He walks with both feet.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
脚 (current)	jiǎo	11	⺼
胃	wèi	9	⺼
胆	dǎn	9	⺼
背	bēi / bèi	9	⺼

Practice Writing 脚 (jiǎo)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 脚 with real-time feedback.

✨ Animated stroke order · Handwriting recognition · HSK-graded practice · Free to use

App Store ▶ Google Play

Frequently Asked Questions about 脚

What are the components of 脚 and how do they relate to its meaning?

The left part ⺼ (meat radical) shows that this character relates to a body part. The right part 却 (què) provides a hint for pronunciation. Together, they form “foot,” a body part made of flesh.

What is a good memory trick to remember the character 脚?

What should I watch out for when writing 脚?

How is 脚 different from 胃 and 胆?

When and how is 脚 used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 脚?

How to Write 脚 (jiǎo) — Meaning “foot”

Practice Writing 脚 (jiǎo)

How to Write 脚

What Does jiǎo (脚) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 脚

Common Words with 脚

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 脚 (jiǎo)

Frequently Asked Questions about 脚

More HSK Level 2 Characters

Characters with Radical ⺼

Other 11-Stroke Characters