踹 (chuài) - Meaning, Stroke Order & Audio

踹

chuài[chuai4]Tone 4

to kick

HSK 7

Guru Deep Dive

English · to kick

Cached lesson

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Topology:Left-right

Strokes:13

Writing Balance Rule: The left foot radical (足) occupies about one-third of the width, compressed to make space for the right phonetic component (端).

1. Meaning

to kick with the foot

to trampleto tread on

VerbColloquial#body movement#physical action#violence

Sample Usage

他气得踹了门一脚。
Tā qì de chuài le mén yī jiǎo.
He was so angry he kicked the door.
小心别踹到别人。
Xiǎoxīn bié chuài dào biérén.
Be careful not to kick anyone else.

2. Sound

/[t͡ʂʰuai̯⁵¹]/Tone: 51

踹

chuàichuai4

`(51)

=chuài

Build the syllable

Step-by-step blending

chuai

Tone mark placement: Tone mark sits on "a" per main-vowel priority (a > e > o; in -iu/-ui the mark takes the second vowel).

Initial Consonant

Type: Aspirated Retroflex

Sounds like: ch sound with tongue curled back (retroflex)

AspiratedRetroflex

Airflow Tactile Test: Both curled tongue AND explosive puff of air! Tissue MUST fly.

Tongue & Mouth Position: Tongue tip curled back near the hard palate

Final Rhyme

uai

Vowel Group: -a vowel group

Sounds like: -uai rhymes with 'why' preceded by a 'w' sound

Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'why'.

Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.

Tone

T4 (51)

5 → 1 (51)

4th Tone (High-Falling)

Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 4 starts high and drops abruptly like an angry command or a sudden exclamation.

👂

Listening trap: Confusing the retroflex initial 'ch-' with the dental or alveolo-palatal affricates like 'c-' or 'q-'.

👋

Physical Tone Gesture: A sharp karate chop or downward stomp matching Tone 4's rapid drop from high to low pitch.

3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 13 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The left foot radical (足) occupies about one-third of the width, compressed to make space for the right phonetic component (端).

4. Components

Radical 足 · Foot Radical (foot, leg)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 足 (indicates actions performed with the foot)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 端 (original sound: duān/chuài)

The foot radical (足) on the left combines with the phonetic and semantic hint component on the right (端) to denote using the foot forcefully.

足 foot (semantic clue)
端 phonetic / upright element

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

11· Phonetic Root: 耑

5. History

Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Combined from the foot radical (足) representing lower body movement and another character providing the sound and general shape.

Semantic Evolution: Originally referred broadly to foot movements and treading, later specialized primarily into kicking or trampling forcefully.

Commonly used in daily spoken Chinese for physical kicking actions.

6. Sinosphere

7. Memory

Vivid Mnemonic Story

Imagine using your FOOT (足) to kick a door with extreme ENDURANCE or force (端), making a loud 'chuài!' sound.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

耑

Phonetic Core (声旁)

端

duāntip, end, extremity, to hold level with both hands+ 立 (stand)

喘

chuǎnto gasp, to pant, asthma+ 口 (mouth)

揣

chuāito put into (one's pockets, clothes)+ 扌 (hand)

Explore this family →

Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)

喘(chuǎn)

Has the mouth radical (口) instead of the foot radical (足), meaning to pant or gasp for breath.

8. Mastery

Active Recall Challenge

他气得把门给___了一脚。

Clue: chuài

Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the retroflex initial 'ch-' with 'c-' or missing the tone 4 drop, treating it as flat or rising.

Memory Prompts

Recognition: What does 踹 mean and how do you pronounce it with tones?

Production: How do you write the character for 'to kick' using the foot radical?

踹chuàito kick

Speed:

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