寻踪 (xún zōng) — to track down, to search for traces (of something or someone)

Definition

Literary/advanced verb meaning 'to track down traces (of someone or something)' — used in detective, archaeological, or investigative contexts, not everyday speech.

verb
to track downto search for traces (of something or someone)

Examples

  • 寻踪。
    Zhēn tàn zhèng zài xún zōng àn jiàn de guān jiàn xiàn suǒ.
    The detective is tracking down key clues in the case.
  • 寻踪。
    Kǎo gǔ xué jiā zài zhè piàn qū yù xún zōng gǔ dài wén míng de yí jì.
    Archaeologists are searching for traces of ancient civilization in this area.
  • 寻踪。
    Tā men huā le sān nián shí jiān xún zōng shī zōng de tàn xiǎn duì.
    They spent three years tracking down the lost expedition team.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

寻xúnsearch
踪zōngtraces

Search and traces combine to mean track down.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

寻 is formed from 又 (hand) and 寸 (hand).

Open 寻 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
足足zúfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
宗
宗zōng踪zōng
Same sound today

踪 pairs 足, a foot, with 宗, which gives the sound zōng.

Open 踪 →

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