Definition
To run; to move quickly on foot. Also used figuratively to mean "to flee" or "to go somewhere."
Example
他每天早上跑三公里。
Show translation
He runs three kilometers every morning.
Etymology
From Old Chinese *bˤrok or similar reconstructions. The modern character pairs 足 (foot radical, 足字旁) with 包 (phonetic component, providing the approximate sound). The foot radical makes the meaning transparent: any character bearing 足 typically relates to movement of the legs or feet.
Cultural note
跑 is extremely versatile in Mandarin. Beyond literal running, you'll hear 跑步 (pǎobù) as the standard compound for "jogging/running" as exercise — a hugely popular activity in modern China, with running clubs and park morning routines deeply embedded in urban life. It also appears in colloquial phrases like 跑路 (pǎolù, "to flee" or "to run away from debt") and 跑腿 (pǎotuǐ, "to run errands," literally "run-legs").