How to Write 蹼 (pǔ) — Meaning “web (of a foot)”

Picture a duck's webbed foot with three toes connected by skin, and imagine the right side 僕 looks like a little servant holding a net between the toes. The left radical 足 reminds you it's a foot. So 蹼 is "foot with a web like a net."

蹼 has 19 strokes. Write the left radical 足 first (7 strokes), then the right part 僕 (12 strokes). A common mistake is making the top of 僕 too wide — keep it narrow so the whole character stays balanced. Pay attention to the bottom of 僕 which has two 人-like components stacked; do not make them too tall.

蹼 means "webbed foot" and is used for animals or swimming equipment. 蹇 (jiǎn) means "lame" or "difficulty" and is never about feet webs. 蹈 (dǎo) means "to tread" or "to dance" and is an action verb, not a body part. Visually, 蹇 has a 寒 component on top, while 蹈 has 舀 on the right.

蹼 appears in words like 蹼泳 (fin swimming), 鸭蹼 (duck's webbed feet), and 蹼足 (webbed foot). It is mainly used in biology and sports contexts. In Chinese culture, 蹼 is not a common character but is essential when describing aquatic animals or fins in swimming.

Common words containing 蹼 include: 蹼泳 (pǔ yǒng) — fin swimming; 鸭蹼 (yā pǔ) — Duck's webbed feet; 蹼足 (pǔ zú) — webbed foot.