形迹可疑

形跡可疑

xíngjì-kěyí

idiom

Meanings

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

Characters

form; appearance

Examples

HSK 5

警察注意到一个形迹可疑的男子。

Jǐngchá zhùyì dào yī gè xíngjì-kěyí de nánzǐ.

The police noticed a suspicious-looking man.

HSK 5

发现形迹可疑的人请立即报警。

Fāxiàn xíngjì-kěyí de rén qǐng lìjí bàojǐng.

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

HSK 7-9

他深夜在门口徘徊，形迹可疑。

Tā shēnyè zài ménkǒu páihuái, xíngjì-kěyí.

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

Tips

history

Appears in 蒲松龄《聊斋志异·房文淑》 (Qing) - 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