Chinese word

痕迹

Pronunciation

Pinyinhén jì

Meaning

  • nounmark

Example

门上有痕迹。mén shàng yǒu hén jì

There is a mark on the door.

Illustration for 痕迹 (mark)

More examples

时间在古墙上留下了痕迹。shí jiān zài gǔ qiáng shàng liú xià le hén jì

Time left a mark on the old wall.

Core concept

A leftover sign of an earlier action that can be noticed directly or used to work out what happened.

Common phrases

  • 留下痕迹liú xià hén jì

    leave a mark

  • 没有痕迹méi yǒu hén jì

    no trace

  • 历史的痕迹lì shǐ de hén jì

    traces of history

Similar words

迹象jì xiàng: A noticeable sign of a condition or change that is taking place.
线索xiàn suǒ: A clue in the form of information or a sign used to solve a case or problem.
证据zhèng jù: Reliable proof or documented material used to prove a fact.
足迹zú jì: The mark left by a person's or animal's foot as it walks.

Definition in Chinese

能够指示过去事件或行为存在的迹象或证据，既包括可见的物理痕迹，也包括能作为线索的残留物néng gòu zhǐ shì guò qù shì jiàn huò xíng wéi cún zài de jì xiàng huò zhèng jù jì bāo kuò kě jiàn de wù lǐ hén jì yě bāo kuò néng zuò wéi xiàn suǒ de cán liú wù

Word origin

痕迹 (hénjì, "trace") combines 痕 (hén, "mark or scar") + 迹 (jì, "track"), so its form connects a visible mark with evidence left by an action.

Usage tips

  • In product descriptions, 使用痕迹 (shǐyòng hénjì, "signs of use") refers to wear from previous use, so the word often appears when an object's condition is being described.

Other meanings

  • evidencenoun

Word lists with this word