踏

The Chinese character 踏 (tā) is composed of two parts: 辵 (chuò), which means "to walk" or "to step", and 屰 (dǎ), which means "foot" or "to step on". The combination of these two parts creates the meaning of "to step on" or "to tread".The character 踏 has a long history, dating back to the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BC). It was originally written as 辵屰, with the 辵 radical on the left and the 屰 phonetic component on the right. Over time, the character simplified to its current form, 踏.The character 踏 is used in a variety of words and phrases related to walking, stepping, and treading. For example, it is used in the word 踏步 (tā bù), which means "to march" or "to walk in step", and in the phrase 踏上征途 (tā shàng zhēng tú), which means "to embark on a journey".The character 踏 can also be used in a more figurative sense, to mean "to follow" or "to adhere to". For example, it is used in the phrase 踏着先人的足迹 (tā zhe xiān rén de zú jì), which means "to follow in the footsteps of one's ancestors".Overall, the character 踏 is a versatile character with a rich history and a variety of meanings. It is an important character for HSK learners to know, as it is used in many common words and phrases.