foot-binding: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

It is believed to have originated among dancers and courtesans in the 10th or 11th century (Song dynasty) and spread among the elite. It was officially banned in 1912 after the fall of the Qing dynasty, but persisted in some areas for several more decades.

It was primarily a marker of social status and beauty. Small, deformed feet (called 'lotus feet') were considered sexually attractive and a sign that a woman came from a family wealthy enough that she did not need to work. It also severely restricted women's mobility, enforcing a patriarchal ideal of female dependency and domesticity.

No, it is not practiced in mainstream society. The last known cases were among very elderly women in extremely remote villages, reported up to the mid-20th century. It is universally condemned as a human rights violation.

The process, begun in childhood, broke the arches and curled the toes under the sole. This caused chronic pain, infections, difficulty walking, and increased the risk of falls and fractures in later life. The ideal length was a '3-inch golden lotus' (about 7.6 cm).

The historical and now outlawed Chinese practice of tightly wrapping young girls' feet to prevent normal growth, creating a small, deformed 'lotus foot' that was traditionally considered beautiful and aristocratic.

Foot-binding is usually formal, academic, historical in register.

Foot-binding: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfʊt ˌbaɪndɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfʊt ˌbaɪndɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.