血痕(けっこん)

Compound of 血(けつ) (blood) + 痕(こん) (mark, trace). The kanji 痕(こん) implies a residual trace, distinguishing this from fresh blood.

Common collocations

• 血痕(けっこん)が残(のこ)る: a bloodstain remains
• 血痕(けっこん)を採取(さいしゅ)する: to collect a blood sample (forensic)
• 血痕(けっこん)を調(しら)べる: to examine bloodstains
• 床(ゆか)の血痕(けっこん): bloodstain on the floor

Similar words

• 血(ち): blood — the substance itself, not a dried mark
• 血(ち)のしみ: blood stain — more colloquial; しみ is general for stain

Watch out

Identical in sound to 結婚(けっこん) (marriage). Context disambiguates; in writing, the kanji make the meaning clear.