How to Write 蹶 (jué) — Meaning “to stumble; to kick (of a horse)”

Picture a horse with a sore foot (足) that suddenly collapses (厥) and kicks you. The sound 'jué' can remind you of 'jolt' or 'jerk' when stumbling.

The left radical 足 is narrower than the right side 厥. The right side has 厂 on top, then 欠, and the bottom part 止 with an extra stroke—make sure not to mix it with a simple 止.

蹶 (jué) means to stumble or kick, with right side 厥 (collapse). 蹇 (jiǎn) means lame or difficult, with top 宀 (roof) and middle 廾 (hands) making it look more complex. 蹈 (dǎo) means to step or dance, with right side 舀 (yǎo, to scoop).

蹶 appears in the idiom 一蹶不振 (yī jué bù zhèn), meaning 'to never recover from a single setback.' It is also used in 蹶倒 (jué dào, to fall down) and 蹶子 (jué zi, a horse's kick), but these are mostly formal or literary expressions.

Common words containing 蹶 include: 一蹶不振 (yī jué bù zhèn) — to never recover from a single setback; 蹶倒 (jué dào) — to fall down; to stumble; 蹶子 (jué zi) — a kick (from a horse or donkey).