跡 means “trace, mark, ruins”

あと · ato

Also: tracks, print, impression

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

あと

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

セキ

JLPT N2 · Taught in secondary school · 13 strokes

The story

A foot (足) and 亦, "also": one footprint, then another, and another. 跡 is a trace left behind: 足跡 are footprints, 遺跡 ruins, 焼け跡 what remains after a fire, and 奇跡, a strange trace, a miracle.

Used in 足跡 (ashiato, footprints), 遺跡 (iseki, ruins), and 奇跡 (kiseki, miracle)

More from Quake & Fire

• 灰 ash
• 極 extreme
• 混 mix
• 震 quake
• 傾 lean
• 燃 burn

Learn 跡 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.