The word 足迹 (zújì) is a compound noun formed by combining two meaningful characters: 足 (zú), meaning "foot", and 迹 (jì), meaning "trace", "mark", or "imprint". It is a typical example of a modifier-head or coordinative compound in Chinese, where the first character specifies the subject (the foot) and the second character denotes the resulting action or object (a mark left behind). Together, they create the literal meaning of "footprint" or "footmark", which is then commonly used metaphorically to signify the "trail", "path", or "record of activity" left by someone or something.