古迹
gǔ jì · HSK 7
places of historic interest
🏛️ 古 = ancient + 迹 = trace/mark; ancient traces = historic sites
古 means ancient or old (ten 十 generations of mouths 口 passing down stories). 迹 means trace, mark, or footprint. Together: ancient traces left behind — ruins, monuments, historic sites worth visiting.
古 — ten 十 + mouth 口
古 is traditionally analyzed as 十 (ten) over 口 (mouth), suggesting words passed down through ten generations — hence 'ancient' or 'old.' Some scholars view the top as a stylized helmet or skull shape in oracle bone forms. The core meaning of 'ancient, old, former times' has remained stable since early Chinese writing.