蹤

Phono-semantic compound:

足 (발 족, “foot”) — semantic, indicating footprints or movement.

宗 (마루 종, “ancestor, main, master”) — phonetic, providing the sound.

Thus originally “the trace left by feet,” extended to “evidence, sign, track.”

足踪 (족종) — footsteps, traces of feet

无踪 (무종) — without a trace, vanished

踪迹 (종적) — whereabouts, traces

行踪 (행종) — one’s movements, whereabouts

失踪 (실종) — missing, disappearance

Regional usage:

China (Simplified): 踪 is the simplified standard.

Taiwan, Hong Kong: 蹤 is retained as the standard traditional form; 踪 is rare.

Korea: both forms are recognized, but 踪 is the more common modern print form. Seen in words like 실종(失踪, disappearance), 종적(踪跡, trace).

Japan: 蹤 is the standard; 踪 is not used. Compounds like 失踪 (shissō, disappearance) are common.

Comparison (踪 vs 蹤):

Both characters share the same meaning and reading.

踪 is the simplified form, created by removing the “重” element from 蹤.

蹤 is historically older and visually more complex.

Today, which form is used depends entirely on script tradition (Simplified vs. Traditional vs. Japanese).