溯源

sùyuán

verb #37,551

Meanings

1 to trace back to the source
2 to investigate the origin of
3 to follow upstream

Characters

go against the current; trace back

Examples

我们要溯源这种习俗的由来。

Wǒmen yào sùyuán zhè zhǒng xísú de yóulái.

We need to trace the origin of this custom.

这个词可以溯源到唐代。

Zhège cí kěyǐ sùyuán dào Tángdài.

This word can be traced back to the Tang dynasty.

Tips

memory

溯 (sù) literally means to travel upstream against the current; 源 means 'source.' So 溯源 = 'go upstream to the source' — a vivid image whether you mean a river, a custom, or a software bug.

usage

Often appears in the four-character set phrase 追本溯源 (zhuī běn sù yuán, 'pursue the root, trace the source') meaning 'to get to the bottom of something.'

Stroke Order

溯 sù

源 yuán