追根溯源

zhuīgēn-sùyuán

idiom

Meanings

1 to trace something back to its origins
2 to get to the bottom of a matter
3 to pursue the root cause

Characters

to pursue; to trace

to go upstream; to trace back

Examples

HSK 3

要解决这个问题，必须追根溯源。

Yào jiějué zhège wèntí, bìxū zhuīgēnsùyuán.

To solve this problem, we must trace it back to its root.

HSK 6

追根溯源，这种习俗起源于宋代。

Zhuīgēnsùyuán, zhè zhǒng xísú qǐyuán yú Sòngdài.

Tracing back to its origin, this custom dates from the Song dynasty.

HSK 6

记者追根溯源，终于查清了事件的真相。

Jìzhě zhuīgēnsùyuán, zhōngyú cháqīng le shìjiàn de zhēnxiàng.

The reporter dug down to the source and finally uncovered the truth of the incident.

Tips

usage

Near-synonym of 追本溯源; 追根溯源 is slightly more common in modern journalism. Often used as a sentence-opening adverbial: 追根溯源，... (tracing it back, ...).

memory

根 (root) and 源 (source) are the literal endpoints; 追 (pursue) and 溯 (go upstream) are the verbs. Literally 'pursue the root, go upstream to the source'.

Stroke Order

追 zhuī

根 gēn

溯 sù

源 yuán