逐
Character Story & Explanation
逐 appears frequently in classical and modern Chinese texts, especially in political, military, and bureaucratic contexts. A famous historical usage is in the idiom 逐鹿中原 (zhú lù zhōngyuán), originating from the *Records of the Grand Historian*, describing rival warlords ‘chasing the deer in the Central Plains’ — metaphorically competing for imperial power. Today, it’s widely used in official documents, education policy (e.g., 逐步推进 — 'gradually advance'), and exams.
The character’s form dates to the Warring States period (475–221 BCE) and evolved from seal script. It combines the movement radical 辶 with 夂 — a component historically depicting a foot stepping forward, confirming its core meaning of directed, persistent pursuit. No oracle-bone version survives, but its structure consistently reflects purposeful motion across scripts.
Hi students! Let’s explore 逐 (zhú), a Level 5 HSK character meaning 'to pursue' — not just chasing physically, but also striving toward goals, examining step-by-step, or even expelling someone. It’s an action word with strong intentionality. Notice its radical 辶 (chuò), the 'walking' or 'movement' radical — it appears at the bottom right and tells us this character involves motion or progression.
The left part is 夂 (zhǐ), an ancient component suggesting 'to go forward' or 'to arrive', reinforcing purposeful movement. Together, 辶 + 夂 creates a vivid image of advancing steadily toward something — like following a trail or methodically working through tasks. This makes 逐 perfect for contexts like 'pursuing excellence' or 'reviewing items one by one'.
While beginners might first encounter 逐 in idioms like 逐鹿中原 (zhú lù zhōngyuán — 'to vie for supremacy'), it’s also common in modern academic and administrative language — for example, when describing phased implementation or systematic elimination. Its tone is neutral to formal, rarely used in casual speech alone, but very powerful in compound words.
Example Sentences
Common Compounds
Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up
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