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noun HSK 5
Traditional 足跡
zú jì
footprint · footstep · track · trace

Meaning

足迹 literally means 'foot trace' and refers to marks left by feet. It can describe physical footprints in sand or snow, but is also commonly used metaphorically to describe someone's life journey, achievements, or the places they have been.

Usage

This word appears frequently in both literal contexts (tracking animals, crime scenes) and figurative contexts (historical legacy, life paths). It's relatively formal and often used in written language, news reports, and reflective narratives about someone's accomplishments or travels.

Examples

  1. 01
    雪地上留下了一串清晰的足迹。
    Xuě dì shàng liú xià le yī chuàn qīng xī de zú jì.
    A series of clear footprints were left in the snow.
  2. 02
    他的足迹遍布世界各地，去过五十多个国家。
    Tā de zú jì biàn bù shì jiè gè dì, qù guò wǔ shí duō gè guó jiā.
    His footprints span the entire world; he has been to over fifty countries.

Characters

Measure words

  • 串chuàn一串足迹
  • 个gè一个足迹

Common collocations

  • 留下足迹
    liú xià zú jì
    to leave footprints/traces
  • 足迹遍布
    zú jì biàn bù
    footprints spread all over
  • 追寻足迹
    zhuī xún zú jì
    to follow in the footsteps
  • 历史足迹
    lì shǐ zú jì
    historical traces

Origin

Combines 足 (foot) with 迹 (trace/mark), creating a compound that literally means the marks left by feet.

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