Meaning
痕迹 refers to a mark, trace, or sign left behind by something that has passed or occurred. It can be physical marks like scratches or footprints, or abstract traces like remnants of an event or evidence of something's existence. The word carries a sense of something that remains after the original thing has gone.
Usage
This word is used in both concrete and abstract contexts. It appears frequently in descriptive writing, forensics, and everyday speech when discussing evidence or remnants. Common in phrases like 留下痕迹 (to leave traces) or 没有痕迹 (without a trace). The word has a slightly formal or literary tone compared to more colloquial alternatives.
Examples
- 01墙上还留有子弹的痕迹。.There are still bullet marks on the wall.
- 02时间在她脸上留下了岁月的痕迹。.Time has left traces of the years on her face.
Characters
Measure words
- 个一个痕迹
- 道一道痕迹
Common collocations
- 留下痕迹to leave traces
- 没有痕迹without a trace
- 岁月的痕迹traces of time
- 消除痕迹to erase traces
Origin
Both characters relate to marks or traces. 痕 originally referred to scars or marks on the body (note the 疒 sickness radical), while 迹 (traditional 跡) contains the foot radical 足, originally meaning footprints. Together they form a compound emphasizing visible signs left behind.