踪迹 (zōng jì) — tracks; traces; footprints | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

踪迹 is literary, used for traces a person or animal has passed through — broader than 脚印 (just footprints) and more concrete than 线索 (an investigative clue).

noun

trackstracesfootprints

Examples

踪迹。
Jǐng chá zài xuě dì lǐ fā xiàn le dòng wù de zōng jì.
The police found animal tracks in the snow.
，踪迹。
Jīng guò duō nián, yǐ jīng zhǎo bú dào rèn hé zōng jì le.
After many years, no traces can be found anymore.
踪迹。
Nà ge shī zōng de rén méi yǒu liú xià rèn hé zōng jì.
That missing person left no traces behind.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

踪 and 迹 both refer to marks left behind, together naming tracks.

Characters in this word

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.

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

辶Written in full as辵chuòmove

Sound part声符shēngfú

朿

朿cì迹jì

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

迹 pairs 辶, a movement part, with 亦, a sound part; an older form used 朿.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Abstract Concepts

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