跪 meaning and stroke order
To kneel
How to write 跪, stroke by stroke
13 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 跪
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to kneel
How 跪 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Foot.
足 gives the meaning and 危 hints at the sound.
Radical: 足 (foot), shared by 119 characters on this site.
How to remember 跪
跪 combines the foot radical 足 on the left, which shows the meaning is about legs and posture, with 危 (wēi) on the right as the sound part. Picture someone bending their legs down to the ground, a position where you are low and vulnerable.
跪 is a verb for kneeling, often in phrases like 跪下 (guìxia) and 下跪 (xiàguì). It appears in contexts of begging, proposing marriage, apologizing, or traditional worship such as 跪拜 (guìbài). Example: 他跪下来向她求婚。(Tā guì xiàlai xiàng tā qiúhūn.) He knelt down and proposed to her.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes read 跪 as wēi because of the phonetic part 危, but the correct reading is guì with a fourth tone. Also avoid confusing it with 脆 (cuì, crisp), which shares the right side but has the flesh radical 月.
Common words with 跪
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 跪下 | guìxia | to kneel down | |
| 下跪 | xiàguì | to kneel; to go down on one's knees | |
| 跪拜 | guìbài | to kowtow; to kneel and worship |
跪 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 跪
How many strokes are in 跪?
跪 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 跪 mean?
跪 (guì) means to kneel. A common word with it is 跪下 (guìxia), meaning "to kneel down".
How do you pronounce 跪?
跪 is pronounced guì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 跪?
The radical of 跪 is 足, which carries the idea of "foot". Dictionaries list 跪 under this radical.
Is 跪 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 跪 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 跪 and 蹲?
跪 (guì) means resting your weight on your knees. 蹲 (dūn) means squatting with your feet flat on the ground and knees bent, without the knees touching the floor.
Does kneeling carry special meaning in Chinese culture?
Yes. Kneeling traditionally shows deep respect, submission, or apology, as in kowtowing to elders or ancestors with 跪拜 (guìbài). Because of this, 下跪 (xiàguì) can sound very serious or humiliating in modern situations.