形迹可疑

形跡可疑

xíngjìkěyí

idiom

Meanings

1 acting suspiciously; of suspicious conduct
2 with suspicious appearance or behavior

Characters

form; appearance

Examples

警察注意到一个形迹可疑的男子。

Jǐngchá zhùyì dào yī gè xíngjìkěyí de nánzǐ.

The police noticed a suspicious-looking man.

发现形迹可疑的人请立即报警。

Fāxiàn xíngjìkěyí de rén qǐng lìjí bàojǐng.

If you spot anyone behaving suspiciously, report it to the police immediately.

他深夜在门口徘徊，形迹可疑。

Tā shēnyè zài ménkǒu páihuái, xíngjìkěyí.

He loitered at the door late at night, acting suspiciously.

Tips

history

Appears in 清·蒲松龄《聊斋志异·房文淑》 — a character is 'suspicious in his traces' (形迹可疑) and dares not tell anyone. Traditional crime-and-ghost-story phrasing that migrated into modern security language.

Stroke Order

形 xíng

迹 jì

可 kě

疑 yí