步伐
bù fá · HSK 7
pace
🚶 步 (step) + 伐 (strike/cut) = a deliberate, measured stride
步 means step or walk. 伐 means to strike or cut down, suggesting force and rhythm. Together they form pace or march — steps that are purposeful and evenly struck, like a soldier keeping cadence.
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.'