How to Write 趦 (zī) — Meaning “To falter; to hesitate.”

Think of the shape of 趦 as a person walking (走) who keeps taking "second" thoughts (次 = second). Imagine someone starting to walk, then stopping and starting again — that hesitation is the meaning of 趦. The sound "zī" can also remind you of "zigzag," which looks like a hesitant path.

First write the left radical 走 with 7 strokes, making its last long stroke (捺) stretch slightly to the right. Then write the right part 次, which has a top dot and horizontal, two dots, a hook, and left and right strokes — 9 strokes total. Make sure the right side is balanced and does not cross over the 走 radical's long stroke.

趦 means to falter or hesitate, while 趟 (tàng) means a trip or to wade through water, and 趣 (qù) means interest or charm. Visually, 趦 has 次 on the right, 趟 has 尚 (a small mouth above a roof), and 趣 has 取 (ear and hand). In usage, 趦 is rare and literary, while 趟 and 趣 are common in daily Chinese.

趦 is almost always used in the two-character word 趦趄 (zī jū), meaning to hesitate or falter, or in the phrase 趦趄不前 (to hesitate to move forward). It appears mainly in written or classical Chinese, not in everyday conversation. Understanding this character helps learners recognize a formal, literary way to describe indecision.

Common words containing 趦 include: 趦趄 (zī jū) — To hesitate; to falter.; 趦趄不前 (zī jū bù qián) — To hesitate to move forward.; 趦趄的样子 (zī jū de yàng zi) — A hesitant manner..