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蛛丝马迹 (zhū sī mǎ jì) — small but revealing clues or traces; subtle or hidden structural indications (in writing, arguments, etc.)

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'tiny clues or traces' left behind — like spider silk and horse tracks — used to piece together what happened (often in detective or literary analysis contexts).

idiom
small but revealing clues or tracessubtle or hidden structural indications (in writing, arguments, etc.)

Examples

  • 蛛丝马迹。
    Jǐng chá gēn jù zhè xiē zhū sī mǎ jì zhǎo dào le shī zōng de hái zi.
    The police found the missing child based on these clues.
  • 蛛丝马迹，。
    Zhè piān xiǎo shuō lǐ chōng mǎn le zhū sī mǎ jì, àn shì zhe gù shi de zhēn zhèng jié jú.
    This novel is full of subtle clues that hint at the story's true ending.
  • 蛛丝马迹，。
    Cóng xiàn chǎng de zhū sī mǎ jì lái kàn, zuì fàn shì cóng chuāng hu jìn lái de.
    Judging from the traces at the scene, the criminal entered through the window.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

蛛丝spider silk
蛛zhūspider丝sīthread
偏正Modifier + head
马迹horse tracks
马mǎhorse迹jìtracks
偏正Modifier + head

蛛丝 spider silk and 马迹 horse tracks together suggest faint clues.

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
虫虫chónginsect
Sound part声符shēngfú
朱
朱zhū蛛zhū
Same sound today

蛛 pairs 虫 (insect) with 朱, which gives the sound; it grew from an older drawing of a spider.

Open 蛛 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 絲; 丝 is its simplified writing.

  • 糸糸mì
  • 糸糸mì

In the traditional form 絲, the shape is two 糸 written together; this is about 絲, not the simplified 丝.

Open 丝 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 馬; 马 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 馬 shows a horse with its head facing left, a flowing mane, and two legs standing vertically.

Open 马 →

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.

Open 迹 →
Appears in
Crime & PoliceIdioms & Set Phrases

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