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八字步

Mandarin · pinyin bā zì bù

step with feet splayed outwards

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Characters in this entry

八: bā · eight; all around, all sides
字: zì · letter, character, word
步: bù · step, pace; walk, stroll

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

1–4–4 · ba1 zi4 bu4

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 3 senses

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

noun

measured gait with the toes pointing out
measured gait with the toes pointing out — (Xiamen and Zhangzhou Hokkien) refined, big, and slow steps with the toes pointing out (as of old-fashioned intellectuals)
(Xiamen and Zhangzhou Hokkien) splayfoot

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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