HSK · Level 7
134 words
Chinese word
脚印
Pronunciation
Pinyinjiǎo yìn
Meaning
- nounfootprint
Example
雪地上留下了很多脚印。xuě dì shàng liú xià le hěn duō jiǎo yìn
Many footprints were left in the snow.
More examples
警察在现场发现了一串脚印，开始追查线索。jǐng chá zài xiàn chǎng fā xiàn le yí chuàn jiǎo yìn kāi shǐ zhuī chá xiàn suǒ
The police found a trail of footprints at the scene and began tracing the clues.
Core concept
A chain of marks left by feet, often showing where someone has gone.
Common phrases
留下脚印liú xià jiǎo yìn
leave footprints
踩脚印cǎi jiǎo yìn
step on footprints
发现脚印fā xiàn jiǎo yìn
find footprints
Similar words
足迹zú jì: Marks left on the ground by feet that show where someone has walked.
足印zú yìn: A single mark made by a foot on the ground.
踪迹zōng jì: A trace left by someone's movements that can provide clues for following their path.
Definition in Chinese
行走时脚在地面上留下的连串痕迹，常表现为有方向性的足迹，可用于表示行进路线或辨别来路。xíng zǒu shí jiǎo zài dì miàn shàng liú xià de lián chuàn hén jì cháng biǎo xiàn wèi yǒu fāng xiàng xìng de zú jì kě yòng yú biǎo shì xíng jìn lù xiàn huò biàn bié lái lù
Word origin
脚 (jiǎo, "foot") + 印 (yìn, "mark") forms a transparent compound for a mark made by a foot.
Usage tips
- In English, footprint also describes the size or effect of an activity, as in a carbon footprint, while 脚印 (jiǎoyìn, "footprint") usually stays tied to marks made by feet in ordinary Chinese.