地步
dìbù · HSK 7
extent
📍 ground + step = the point you have walked to in life
地 means ground/earth, 步 means step. Together they describe the stage or extent something has reached — literally where your steps have brought you. Often used in phrases like 到了这个地步 (reached this point).
地 — earth 土 + 也 (phonetic)
地 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The left component 土 means 'earth' or 'soil' and gives the meaning, while 也 on the right hints at the pronunciation. Originally referring to the ground or land, it broadened to mean 'place,' 'region,' and 'territory.'
步 — two feet: 止 (foot) on top + 止 inverted below
Originally a pictograph showing two footprints, one above the other, representing the act of walking step by step. The top 止 is a left foot and the bottom is a right foot, capturing alternating strides. The meaning extended from 'step' to 'pace,' 'stage,' or 'walk.'