足取(あしど)り

あしどり
noun
gait, footsteps; trail, movements
movementcognition
1. gait, footsteps, pace
The way someone walks, the rhythm and manner of their steps.
軽(かる)い足取(あしど)りで歩(ある)く。
To walk with a light step.
疲(つか)れた足取(あしど)りで家(いえ)に帰(かえ)った。
I returned home with tired, heavy steps.
彼(かれ)は酔(よ)っぱらって足取(あしど)りがふらふらだった。
He was drunk and his gait was unsteady.
2. trail, movements, whereabouts
The traces or trail of someone's movements, often used when tracking or investigating someone.
犯人(はんにん)の足取(あしど)りを追(お)う。
To trace the suspect's movements.
行方不明者(ゆくえふめいしゃ)の足取(あしど)りがつかめない。
We can't get a trace on the missing person's movements.
警察(けいさつ)は防犯(ぼうはん)カメラの映像(えいぞう)をもとに容疑者(ようぎしゃ)の足取(あしど)りを追(お)っている。
The police are tracing the suspect's movements based on security camera footage.

Usage

Sense 1 is often modified by adjectives describing the quality of the gait: 軽(かる)い足取(あしど)り (light steps), 重(おも)い足取(あしど)り (heavy steps), 確(たし)かな足取(あしど)り (sure-footed steps).

Sense 2 is common in news reports about criminal investigations and missing persons cases.

Common collocations

Related Words

Related: 足跡(あしあと) (footprints; traces left behind)
general
Added 2026.2.8 14:52 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
10500/10625_ashidori