Chinese word

脚步

Pronunciation

Pinyinjiǎo bù

Meaning

  • nounfootsteps

Example

夜里，我听见远处有脚步声。yè lǐ wǒ tīng jiàn yuǎn chù yǒu jiǎo bù shēng

At night, I heard footsteps in the distance.

Illustration for 脚步 (footsteps)

More examples

楼道里传来急促的脚步声。lóu dào lǐ chuán lái jí cù de jiǎo bù shēng

Hurried footsteps could be heard in the hallway.

Core concept

The rhythm of a person's movement, sensed through the feet and sometimes heard as they advance.

Common phrases

  • 脚步声jiǎo bù shēng

    footstep sounds

  • 匆匆的脚步cōng cōng de jiǎo bù

    hurried footsteps

  • 沉重的脚步chén zhòng de jiǎo bù

    heavy footsteps

Similar words

脚步声jiǎo bù shēng: The sound produced by a person's feet landing on the ground.
步伐bù fá: The style of walking shown by a person's pace and rhythm.

Definition in Chinese

指人在移动时一连串的脚步声或步伐本身，既可指声音也可指步伐的快慢和力度。zhǐ rén zài yí dòng shí yì lián chuàn de jiǎo bù shēng huò bù fá běn shēn jì kě zhǐ shēng yīn yě kě zhǐ bù fá de kuài màn hé lì dù

Word origin

脚 (jiǎo, "foot") + 步 (bù, "step") forms a concrete word for feet in motion, which extends naturally to their pace and the sounds they make.

Usage tips

  • English often needs separate wording for audible movement and walking style, while Chinese can keep both ideas in this one compact noun.

Other meanings

  • stepsnoun
  • gaitnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 脚步声jiǎo bù shēngfootstep soundsnoun

Word lists with this word