How to Write 踞 (jù) — Meaning “to crouch; to sit with legs spread out”

Imagine a foot (足) that is "living" (居) in a crouched position, like a tiger waiting to pounce. This mental picture ties the foot radical to the idea of staying still in a squat. The phrase "foot resides in a crouch" can help you recall both the shape and meaning.

Write the left radical 足 first, keeping it narrow so there is room for the right side 居. A common mistake is making the 足 radical too wide, which unbalances the character. Also, ensure the last horizontal stroke of 足 aligns with the bottom of 居.

䠀 is very rare and not used in modern Chinese, while 踞 appears in literary and formal expressions. 跟 (gēn) means "heel" or "to follow" and is common in everyday language, whereas 踞 specifically describes a crouching or entrenched posture. Visually, 踞 has 居 on the right, while 跟 has 艮.

踞 appears in formal or literary phrases like 盘踞 (to entrench or occupy a territory) and 龙盘虎踞 (a strategic terrain, literally "coiling dragon and crouching tiger"). It is not used in casual conversation. The idiom 龙盘虎踞 is a cultural expression often used to describe the landscape of Nanjing.

Common words containing 踞 include: 盘踞 (pán jù) — to entrench; to occupy (a territory); 龙盘虎踞 (lóng pán hǔ jù) — A strategic or imposing terrain (literally 'coiling dragon and crouching tiger').; 踞坐 (jù zuò) — to sit with legs spread out or crouched.