How to Write 跆 (tái) — Meaning “to kick; to trample”

Imagine a person standing on a platform (台) using their foot (足) to kick a target. The platform represents the sound "tái," and the foot action reminds you it means "to kick" or "to trample."

Pay attention to the left radical 足: it has a small 'mouth' shape (口) on top of two horizontal strokes, then a vertical line and a scoop. The right part 台 has a tight triangular top (厶) above a square 口. Keep the character balanced: the foot radical is wider, and the right side sits neatly beside it.

跆 (tái, kick) uses the foot radical and means a striking action. 趵 (bào, jump) also has the foot radical but means to leap or jump, and it is pronounced differently. 趸 (dǔn, wholesale; whole lot) is very rare in modern use and means to buy in bulk — it has a different pronunciation and completely unrelated meaning, so context tells them apart.

跆 appears almost exclusively in the word 跆拳道 (tái quán dào), which means Taekwondo, the Korean martial art. You may also see it in 跆拳 (kicking and punching) or in the name of a training place, 跆拳道馆. The character is not common outside this martial arts context, so learners mainly encounter it when talking or reading about Taekwondo.

Common words containing 跆 include: 跆拳道 (tái quán dào) — Taekwondo; 跆拳 (tái quán) — Taekwondo (short form); kicking and punching; 跆拳道馆 (tái quán dào guǎn) — Taekwondo gym; dojo.