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顺藤摸瓜 (shùn téng mō guā) — to track down someone or something by following clues; to investigate by following a lead

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'follow the vine to find the melon' — track something down by following a chain of clues, one lead to the next. Implies detective-style investigation where each clue leads to the next.

idiom
to track down someone or something by following cluesto investigate by following a lead

Examples

  • 顺藤摸瓜，。
    Jǐng chá tōng guò jiān kòng lù xiàng shùn téng mō guā, zuì zhōng zhuā zhù le xiǎo tōu.
    The police followed clues from surveillance footage and eventually caught the thief.
  • 顺藤摸瓜，。
    Jì zhě shùn téng mō guā, fā xiàn le zhè jiā gōng sī bèi hòu de fēi fǎ jiāo yì.
    The journalist followed the clues and uncovered the illegal transactions behind this company.
  • 顺藤摸瓜，。
    Rú guǒ nǐ shùn téng mō guā, jiù néng zhǎo dào wèn tí de gēn yuán.
    If you follow the clues, you can find the root of the problem.

Origin

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 順; 顺 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yè
Sound part声符shēngfú
川
川chuān順shùn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 順 pairs 川 (river), which gives the sound, with 頁 (head); the picture is a head in a river, following the current. The simplified 顺 is a shorthand.

Open 顺 →

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
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
滕
滕téng藤téng
Same sound today

藤 combines 艸 (grass) and 滕, which gives the sound, to write a type of plant.

Open 藤 →

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
莫
莫mò摸mō
Same sound today

摸 pairs 手 (hand) with 莫; 手 shows the meaning is about a hand action, and 莫 gives the sound.

Open 摸 →

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

The shape of 瓜 is drawn from a melon hanging from its vines, which matches its meaning.

Open 瓜 →
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Idioms & Set Phrases

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