Definition
站住脚 is a separable verb (离合词) that literally means 'to stand firm on one's feet'. It has two main uses: (1) to physically stop or halt, and (2) to figuratively hold one's ground or be tenable/convincing (as in an argument 'holding water'). When used in the negative (站不住脚) or with the potential complement (站得住脚), the syllables split and allow insertion of 得 or 不 between 站 and 住.
v.o.
to stopto halt (one's steps)to hold one's groundto stand firmto be tenableto hold water (of arguments, theories)
Examples
- 。Nǐ de shuōfǎ zhàn bú zhù jiǎo.Your argument doesn't hold water.
- ，。Tā tīng dào hòumian yǒu rén hǎn, lìkè zhàn zhù le jiǎo.He heard someone shout behind him and immediately stopped in his tracks.
- ，。Zài zhè jiàn shì shang, tā shǐzhōng zhàn bú zhù jiǎo.On this matter, he could never hold his ground.
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