歩 跡(ほせき)

ほせき

noun

footprints; tracks; trail of steps

formal

1. footprints; tracks; trail of steps

The marks or traces left by someone walking. Used both literally for physical footprints and figuratively for the traces or evidence of someone's journey or progress through life.

雪(ゆき)の上(うえ)に歩跡(ほせき)が残(のこ)っていた。

Footprints remained on the snow.

歩跡(ほせき)をたどって山道(やまみち)を進(すす)んだ。

I followed the tracks and continued along the mountain path.

先人(せんじん)たちの歩跡(ほせき)を振(ふ)り返(かえ)ると、多(おお)くの困難(こんなん)を乗(の)り越(こ)えてきたことがわかる。

Looking back at the footsteps of our predecessors, we can see that they overcame many hardships.

Composed of 歩(ほ) (walk, step) and 跡(せき) (trace, mark). A somewhat literary and formal word. The figurative sense — meaning the traces left by someone's life journey or accomplishments — is more common in written language than the literal sense of physical footprints.

Common collocations

歩跡(ほせき)をたどる: to follow footprints; to trace someone's path
歩跡(ほせき)を残(のこ)す: to leave footprints
歩跡(ほせき)を振(ふ)り返(かえ)る: to look back on one's journey

Similar words

足跡(あしあと): footprint — the everyday word for physical footprints
足跡(そくせき): footsteps, achievements — the on'yomi reading used figuratively for accomplishments
痕跡(こんせき): trace, vestige — any kind of remaining trace, not limited to walking

Related Words

Compare: 足跡(あしあと) (footprint)

Compare: 足跡(そくせき) (footsteps, achievements)

Compare: 痕跡(こんせき) (trace, vestige)

general

Added 2026.5.5 1:24 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

26500/26773_hoseki