踩踏 (cǎi tà) is a compound verb meaning 'to trample' or 'to stamp on something with force,' often implying repeated, heavy, or destructive stepping. The character 踩 (cǎi) means 'to step on' or 'to tread,' while 踏 (tà) also means 'to step on' or 'to tread'—so the two characters reinforce each other, creating an intensified sense of forceful, often harmful, pressure from footsteps. This word frequently appears in contexts involving crowd-related incidents, animal behavior, or agricultural damage.

It commonly describes unintentional or chaotic trampling—such as panicked crowds crushing people during emergencies, livestock damaging crops by walking over them, or careless stepping on fragile objects. Unlike simpler verbs like 踩 (cǎi) alone, 踩踏 emphasizes collective, repeated, or consequential action rather than a single step. It carries a slightly formal or journalistic tone and is rarely used in casual conversation unless describing serious events.