步履蹒跚
bù lǚ pán shān
to walk with faltering steps; to totter along
Character by character
步bù
step
step
履lǚ
tread
tread
蹒pán
hobble
hobble
跚shān
totter
totter
Example
一位步履蹒跚的老人扶着栏杆，慢慢走上了公交车。
A tottering old man held the rail and slowly climbed onto the bus.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
Of the old, the sick or the exhausted, and by extension of an economy or a reform that limps along. 《背影》 has the father walk 蹒跚地 to the tracks; 蹒跚学步 is a toddler’s first wobbly steps.
Learn this in Lesson 222 · HSK 9+: 朱自清的散文 (Zhu Ziqing and the modern essay)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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