跑路

“to run away; to abscond; to do a runner ”

Calque of Hokkien 走路 (cháu-lō͘). The sense of “run” in the word 走 (zǒu) has become archaic in Mandarin and was replaced by 跑, but was retained in Hokkien.

跑路

1. to run away; to abscond; to do a runner

   • 「我已經開始籌劃下次跑路了，等我先搞到錢，就準備回蘇州了，我家裡快把我逼瘋了……孫子的事情沒得商量。」她說，「在山東，孫子和外孫不是一個概念。」 [MSC, trad.]
     「我已经开始筹划下次跑路了，等我先搞到钱，就准备回苏州了，我家里快把我逼疯了……孙子的事情没得商量。」她说，「在山东，孙子和外孙不是一个概念。」 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2021 January 15, 张楠茜, 《拯救可橙： 被父母强送矫治的跨性别者》, in 《鳳凰週刊》 [Phoenix Weekly], →ISSN, issue 747, page 42

     “wǒ yǐjīng kāishǐ chóuhuà xiàcì pǎolù le, děng wǒ xiān gǎodào qián, jiù zhǔnbèi huí Sūzhōu le, wǒ jiālǐ kuài bǎ wǒ bī fēng le...... Sūnzǐ de shìqíng méidé shāngliàng.” Tā shuō, “zài Shāndōng, sūnzǐ hé wàisūn bùshì yīge gàiniàn.” [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

2. (slang, colloquial) to quit

   提桶跑路  ―  Tí tǒng pǎolù  ―  to quit from the architectural, engineering and construction industry

3. to run an errand (for someone else)
4. to dash about; to rush about; to be busy socialising

• (to flee):
  • (Cantonese) 走佬 (zau² lou²), 著草 (zoek³ cou²)
  • (Min Nan) 走路 (cháu-lō͘)