行迹 (xíng jì) — trace; mark; track

Definition

Refers to traces, marks, or tracks left behind by a person or animal — used for evidence of movement, often in investigative or narrative contexts. More literary than 痕迹 (traces/vestiges in a broader sense).

noun
tracemarktrack
Easily confused

Examples

  • 行迹。
    Jǐng fāng gēn jù xíng jì zhǎo dào le xián yí rén.
    The police found the suspect based on the traces.
  • 行迹。
    Xuě dì shàng liú xià le dòng wù de xíng jì.
    The snow left animal tracks.
  • 行迹。
    Zhè xiē xíng jì biǎo míng yǒu rén lái guò zhè lǐ.
    These marks indicate that someone has been here.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

行xíngtravel
迹jìtrace

行 means travel and 迹 means trace, referring to traces left by travel.

Characters in this word

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

  • 彳彳chì
  • 亍亍chù

The shape of 行 originally showed a street intersection, even on both sides. Later it became uneven, with 彳 on the left and 亍 on the right.

Open 行 →

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 →

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