Taxonomy of meanings for 步:　　

  • 步 bù (OC: baas MC: buo) 薄故切 去 廣韻：【行歩爾雅曰堂下謂之歩白虎通曰人踐三尺法天地人再舉足歩備隂陽也又姓左傳晉有歩塲食采於歩後因氏焉又虜三字姓三氏後魏書歩六孤氏後改爲陸氏又西方歩鹿根氏後改爲歩氏北齊書有歩大汗氏 】
    • STEP
      • n.red:adVallwith each step
      • nancient Chinese pace equivalent to two paces in our calculations, step; particularly: dignified steps or regular steps
      • ncpost-V1{NUM}:postadV2to the extent of (so and so many) steps
      • vi:post-vadV{NUM}make a stepLZ
      • vi:.post-:vadV{NUM}[.adN]N=humanthose who step so-and-so-many timesCH
      • nabacttaking so-and-so-many stepsCH
      • ncpost-V{NUM}.adNNUM steps long/largeDS
      • NPpace
      • NPadVby a single pace
      • viactmake a single pace (at a time)
      • movement> WALK
        • vadNspecialised in walking on foot
        • vadVon foot, not riding but walking along
        • viactto pace (slowly); to walk along at measured speed; trot along;
        • viactmarch in a military campaign, set out in a military campaign
        • vtoNcausativecause to walk, make pace along (a horse etc)
        • vt+prep+NOBI: walk to>travel to?
        • nabpacing alongCH
        • vtoNwalk along NLZ
        • place to walk off ship> HARBOUR
          • generalised> MOVE
            • nabactmovements, course
            • vimathematical termCHEMLA 2003: move along on the calculating boardBù 步 refers to a specific movement leftwards of a number on the calculating surface, and this concept was later referred to as jìn 進. The mathematical antonym is 折, which later came to be more transparently designated by the word 退. JZ 4.16: 借一算，步之，超一等 "One 'borrows' one counting rod and moves it leftwards (in Chinese terms: forward!), in each movement of this kind jumping across one column." [NB: this 等 comes from the Song edition, and in Daizhen edition the text is wèi 位. If Dai's reading is to be relied on, then this will mean that the meaning of wèi 位 "decimal position" is attested already in the Nine Chapters.]
        • exocentric, on foot> SOLDIER
          • nnonreferentialfootsoldiers

      Additional information about 步

      說文解字:

        Criteria
      • STEP

        1. The general word for the length of two steps is bù 步.

        2. Kuǐ 跬／蹞／頃 refers to the ground covered by a single step, lifting only one foot.

      • WALK

        1. The current general word for walking is xíng 行 (ant. zhǐ 止 "stay put").

        2. Bù 步 (ant. zǒu 走 "run fast") refers to dignified slow pacing along.

        3. Mài 邁 refers to walking or (sometimes even with abstract subjects like time) moving forward.

        4. Jiàn 踐 focusses on the physical aspect of walking as stepping on something or walking across something.

      • RUN

        1. The current general word for running is zǒu 走 (ant. bù 步 "go along without running").

        2. Bēn 奔 refers to running fast, often in order to avoid a dangerous situation. See also FLEE.

        3. Bèn 奔 refers to running fast in order to avoid a dangerous situation, and in a certain direction, particularly in order to seek refuge. See FLEE

        NB: Pǎo 跑 is post-Han (TANG).

        Word relations
      • Epithet: (WALK)卒/SOLDIER Zú 卒 and the archaic tú 徒 refer to an ordinary infantry soldier, and these footsoldiers never ride chariots.