How to Write 路 (lù) — Meaning “road”

Picture each person (各) using their foot (足) to walk on a road. Imagine a line of people, each with one foot on the ground, forming a path. This visual of “each foot” helps you recall both the left and right parts.

A common mistake is making the left side 足 too wide or forgetting the short vertical stroke inside the lower “口” of 足. Also, the right side 各 should be slightly narrower than 足, and the top “夂” must cross over the “口” below without touching it.

路 has 各 on the right and means “road.” 䠀 (rare) has 尚 on the right and means to wade or trample, used in very limited contexts. 趺 has 夫 on the right and means to sit cross-legged, as in 趺坐. Their right-side components are visually distinct and change the meaning completely.

路 appears in everyday words like 走路 (to walk) and 马路 (street). Culturally, it is part of famous terms like 丝绸之路 (Silk Road), an ancient trade route, and the idiom 路遥知马力 (“a long road tests a horse’s strength”), meaning time reveals a person’s true ability.

Common words containing 路 include: 走路 (zǒu lù) — To walk.; 马路 (mǎ lù) — Road; street; 路线 (lù xiàn) — Route.