Translingual

Han character

踎 (radical 157 足+7, 14 strokes, cangjie input 口一一火口 (RMMFR))

References

• KangXi: not present, would follow page 1227, character 9
• Hanyu Da Zidian: not present, would follow volume 6, page 3708, character 6
• Unihan data for U+8E0E

Chinese

Etymology

Cantonese word for "squat":

Guangzhou mɐu⁵³, Conghua mou⁵⁵, Panyu (Shiqiao) mɐu⁵⁵, Zengcheng pɐu⁵⁵, Shunde (Daliang) mɐu⁵³, Zhuhai (Qianshan) pɐu⁵⁵, Kaiping (Chikan) vau³³, Taishan peu³³, Nanhai (Shatou) mɐu⁵⁵, Jiangmen (Baisha) mou²³, Hong Kong (Kam Tin) məu⁵⁵, Macau pɐu⁵⁵.

Etymology not certain. Perhaps a Tai-Kadai substrate word; compare Zhuang maeuq ‎(“to squat”). Also compare 䠐 (ŋɨu^H, “to squat”). Others believe this is from Mandarin 貓 (māo, “cat > to bend; to bend down”), as in colloquial Mandarin 貓腰 (“to bend down”), although this may be less likely due to the semantic mismatch ("squat" and "bend down").

Pronunciation

Definitions

踎

1. (Cantonese)
   1. to squat, to crouch

      Synonyms: 蹲 (dūn)

      踎低，唔准企起身！ [Cantonese, trad. and simp.]

      Mau¹ dai¹, m⁴ zeon² kei⁵ hei² san¹! [Jyutping]

      Squat down, don't stand up!

   2. to stay (in jail)

      佢喺監倉踎咗十年。 [Cantonese, trad.]

      佢喺监仓踎咗十年。 [Cantonese, simp.]

      Keoi⁵ hai² gaam¹ cong¹mau¹ zo² sap⁶ nin⁴. [Jyutping]

      He spent 10 years in jail.

   3. to muddle along, to drift along

      Synonyms: 混 (hùn)

Compounds