Oracle bone script depicts a crossroads with a foot (止) above it, emphasizing the idea of a place where people walk. The modern character 路 combines 足 (foot radical, indicating walking) with 各 (each/separate), suggesting paths branching in different directions. Attested in classical Chinese with both literal and metaphorical meanings from the Shang dynasty onward.

路 appears in countless Chinese idioms and proverbs. The famous line by writer Lu Xun — 其实地上本没有路，走的人多了，也便成了路 ("Actually, there were no roads on earth to begin with; they came into being because many people walked on them") is one of the most quoted phrases in modern Chinese culture, often used to encourage pioneering spirit. In cities, road names typically end in 路 (e.g., 南京路, 长安路), making it a word learners encounter very early in real-life navigation.