How to Write 跣 (xiǎn) — Meaning “barefoot”

Imagine yourself walking barefoot on a hot surface and your first (先) instinct is to lift your foot (足). The character combines 'foot' with 'first' to remind you of that initial barefoot step. This visual of the first step without shoes helps link the meaning to the character.

Write the left radical 足 first with 7 strokes, keeping it narrow. Then add 先 on the right, which has 6 strokes—pay special attention to the vertical hook and the final horizontal stroke. A common mistake is making the right side too wide or misaligning the two halves; keep them balanced.

跣 means 'barefoot' and uses the component 先, while 䠀 (tǎng) means 'to walk with legs apart' and uses 尚. 趺 (fū) means 'to sit cross-legged' or 'instep' and uses 夫. Visually, only 跣 has 先 on the right, and its meaning is specifically about having no footwear.

跣 is a literary character rarely used in daily conversation, appearing mainly in classical texts or idioms like 跣足 (xiǎn zú, barefoot). Culturally, being barefoot in ancient China symbolized humility or poverty, so the character often appears in descriptions of monks, peasants, or people in distress.

Common words containing 跣 include: 跣足 (xiǎn zú) — barefoot; 跣行 (xiǎn xíng) — to walk barefoot; 跣露 (xiǎn lù) — bare and exposed.