Understanding "腿" - Chinese Word Explanation

1. Basic Information

• Word: 腿
• Pinyin: tuǐ
• Literal Meaning: "leg"
• Primary Meaning: Refers to the limb of a human or animal used for standing, walking, or running. It can also metaphorically describe the "leg" of an object (e.g., table leg).

2. In-depth Explanation

Context and Usage

• Human/Animal Legs: 腿 is most commonly used to describe the legs of humans or animals. For example, "我的腿疼" (Wǒ de tuǐ téng) means "My leg hurts."
• Object Legs: It can also describe the supporting parts of furniture, like chairs or tables (e.g., 桌子腿, zhuōzi tuǐ, "table leg").
• Colloquial Use: In slang, 腿 might be used humorously or metaphorically, such as calling someone a "大长腿" (dà cháng tuǐ, "long legs") to compliment their height or legs.

Character Breakdown

• 腿 is a single-character word. The left radical is (月), which often relates to body parts (a variant of 肉, "flesh"). The right part, 退 (tuì), hints at pronunciation and carries a meaning of "retreat" or "move backward," though this doesn't directly relate to the word's meaning.

3. Example Sentences

1. Chinese: 我的腿很累。
   Pinyin: Wǒ de tuǐ hěn lèi.
   English: My legs are very tired.

2. Chinese: 这只狗的腿受伤了。
   Pinyin: Zhè zhī gǒu de tuǐ shòushāng le.
   English: This dog's leg is injured.

3. Chinese: 椅子的腿断了。
   Pinyin: Yǐzi de tuǐ duàn le.
   English: The chair's leg is broken.

Cultural Notes

• In Chinese culture, long legs (大长腿) are often admired as a beauty standard, especially in fashion or entertainment contexts.
• Idioms like "抱大腿" (bào dàtuǐ, "hug someone's thigh") mean to seek favor from powerful people, reflecting a cultural emphasis on networking.

Conclusion

腿 (tuǐ) is a versatile word meaning "leg," applicable to humans, animals, and objects. Remember its radical ⺼ links it to body parts, and watch for its metaphorical uses in slang or idioms. Practice with the examples to master its usage!