Core Meaning
The character 足 primarily means "foot" or "leg" in a literal sense. It is often used to refer to the body part related to standing and walking.
Extended Meanings
Besides the physical meaning, 足 can also mean "enough" or "sufficient" when used in abstract contexts, such as 足够 (enough) or 足以 (sufficient to).
Common Collocations
- 足够 (zúgòu): enough, sufficient — used to express adequacy.
- 足以 (zúyǐ): sufficient to, enough to — often used before verbs to indicate capability or sufficiency.
- 双脚 (shuāng jiǎo): both feet — emphasizes the physical feet.
Usage Notes
When used to mean "foot," 足 is often combined with other characters to specify context (e.g., 脚 or 双脚). When expressing sufficiency, 足 is usually part of compound words and appears before verbs or adjectives.
Common Confusion
Don't confuse 足 with 脚 (jiǎo), which also means "foot" but is more commonly used in everyday speech for the body part. 足 is more formal or literary when referring to the foot, and more common in abstract meanings related to sufficiency.