(きせき)

きせき
noun
trajectory; path; track record
See also: 奇跡(きせき) (miracle)
1. trajectory; path; track
The path traced by a moving object or point, used in mathematics and physics.
(ほし)軌跡(きせき)()
To trace the trajectory of a star.
The trajectory of the ball was analyzed by camera.
Photographing star trails with a long exposure produces images of beautiful arcs.
2. track record; history of achievements; journey
The course or record of someone's progress, career, or development over time.
バンド軌跡(きせき)たどる。
To trace the history of a band.
The story of her athletic career was made into a movie.
This book describes in detail the trajectory of Japan's postwar economic growth.

Compound of () (track, rail) + (せき) (trace, mark). Not to be confused with the homophone 奇跡(きせき) (miracle).

Common collocations

Usage

In the figurative sense, 軌跡(きせき) implies a visible, traceable record of progress or achievement, often used in biography, documentary, and historical writing.