Meaning
迹 refers to traces, marks, or signs left behind by someone or something. It can be physical marks like footprints or tracks, or more abstract traces like evidence or remnants of past events. The character appears in many compound words related to traces and marks.
Usage
迹 is typically used in compound words rather than alone in modern Mandarin. Common compounds include 痕迹 (traces), 足迹 (footprints), 奇迹 (miracle), and 古迹 (historical sites). In formal or literary contexts, it conveys the idea of evidence or remnants of something that has passed.
Examples
- 01警察在现场发现了罪犯的足迹。.The police found the criminal's footprints at the scene.
- 02这座城市有很多历史古迹值得参观。.This city has many historical sites worth visiting.
Measure words
- 处一处古迹
Common collocations
- 留下痕迹leave traces/marks
- 消失得无影无迹disappear without a trace
- 名胜古迹famous scenic spots and historical sites
Origin
The traditional form 跡 contains the foot radical 足, indicating its original meaning of footprints or tracks. The simplified form 迹 uses the movement radical 辶, still suggesting the path or trace something has traveled.