蛛丝马迹
zhū sī mǎ jì
the faintest clue; tell-tale traces
Character by character
蛛zhū
spider
spider
丝sī
thread
thread
马mǎ
horse
horse
迹jì
track
track
Example
警察从屋里的蛛丝马迹判断，小偷是从阳台爬进来的。
From the faint traces in the flat, the police worked out that the thief had climbed in from the balcony.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
A spider’s thread and a horse’s hoofprint: clues so slight they are easily missed. The language of detective stories and investigative reporting, usually in 不放过任何蛛丝马迹 or 从蛛丝马迹中发现线索.
Learn this in Lesson 194 · HSK 7–9: 二十八年后破案 (Solved after twenty-eight years)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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