蹤 (zōng) - Track & footprint

蹤Tone 1

zōng ｜ 18 strokes ｜ radical:

志

蹤 · zōng

Track;

footprint;

trace;

vestige;

to follow a trail.

Trackfootprinttrace

Usage highlights

Footprints; tracksShadow; trace; vestigeWhereabouts; movementsTo follow a trailTo disappear without a traceTo track down

Synonyms

  • 跡— trace; mark; vestige
  • 痕— mark; trace; stain

Antonyms

  • 源— source; origin (antonym in the context of 'trace' vs. 'origin')

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The detective followed the criminal's tracks (罪犯的蹤跡).
  • There was no trace of him left (沒有留下任何蹤影).
  • We lost track of the animal in the forest (在森林中失去了動物的蹤跡).
  • His whereabouts are unknown (他的行蹤不明).

Collocations

  • Footprints; tracks(蹤跡)
  • Shadow; trace; vestige(蹤影)
  • Whereabouts; movements(行蹤)
  • To follow a trail(追蹤)
  • To disappear without a trace(失蹤)
  • To track down(追蹤)

Idioms

  • To disappear without a trace(無影無蹤)
  • To follow the trail and seize the stalker(追蹤躡跡)
  • To lose track of someone(杳無蹤跡)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character 蹤 is semantically linked to the foot radical (足), reflecting its core meaning related to footprints and tracking movement.
  • It is often used in classical Chinese literature and detective contexts to describe the act of following traces or investigating a path.
  • In modern usage, it appears in words related to investigation, surveillance, and locating missing persons or objects.

FAQ