ZHIZHI 知止 · LEARN CHINESE DAILY
跑
to run
pǎo
12 strokes · ⻊ (foot radical) + 包 (wrap, sound bāo→pǎo) · HSK 2
What 跑 is made of
𧾷 + 包 = 跑
𧾷foot (side form)
包wrap / bundle
Where 跑 comes from
跑 is a foot ⻊ with 包 lending sound — a late, practical character for a motion as old as legs. The foot radical carries a whole gym: 跳 jump, 踢 kick, 跑 run.
跑 in Chinese culture
跑步 'run-steps' is jogging, China's dawn ritual in every park. 跑 also means to flee or to slip away: 别跑! 'don't run!' works for children, dogs, and thieves alike. A busy errand-runner 跑来跑去 — runs here and there all day.
Example
跑步 pǎobù — to jog; running
我每天早上跑步。
Wǒ měitiān zǎoshang pǎobù.
I go running every morning.
How to remember it
Foot ⻊ wrapped 包 in motion — RUN!
跑龙套 'running the dragon-costume parts' means playing bit roles — from opera extras who sprinted across the stage carrying flags to make armies look bigger.
Same sound, different tones
Words unlocked by 跑
跑步 pǎobù
to jog
别跑 bié pǎo
don't run!
跑得快 pǎo de kuài
runs fast
Related characters
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