How to Write 履 (lǚ) — Meaning “shoes; to walk; to fulfill”

Imagine a person (尸) walking along a path (彳) while wearing a pair of shoes—the right side 复 looks like two shoes stacked with a heel. Each time they step, they "fulfill" their journey. This visual ties the character to both "shoes" and "to fulfill."

Start by writing the top-left radical 尸, then the left side 彳 (double-person radical, not 亻). The right side 复 has a 夂 (three strokes) on top, then 日, and finally 攵—make sure the bottom is 夂 (zhi) not 攵. A common mistake is misplacing the strokes in the complex right part, so practice the stroke order carefully.

履 is the most common of the three and means "shoes," "to walk," or "to fulfill." 屣 (xǐ) is a rare character meaning "shoes" or "to step," and 屦 (jù) refers specifically to "straw sandals." Visually, 履 has a 复 on the right, while 屣 has a 徙 component and 屦 has a 娄 component.

履 appears in formal vocabulary like 履行 (to fulfill a duty), 履历 (resume), and 履约 (to keep an appointment). It is not a daily word for "shoes" (that is 鞋), but it survives in idioms such as 如履薄冰 (like walking on thin ice). This character is advanced and not in the HSK list, so learners typically encounter it in written or formal contexts.

Common words containing 履 include: 履行 (lǚ xíng) — to fulfill; to carry out; 履历 (lǚ lì) — resume; curriculum vitae; 履约 (lǚ yuē) — to keep an appointment; to fulfill a contract.