爪痕

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 爪痕 is read as つめあと and is a noun for a claw mark and a figurative scar left by an event.
• Basic usage: A scratch remaining on an arm appears in 腕に爪痕が残る, while scars left by a storm appear in 嵐の爪痕.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Literal and figurative marks
  • Context distinguishes a literal scratch from traces of damage left by an event.
• Difference from 傷跡
  • 爪痕 emphasizes a scratch or an event’s trace rather than a scar in general.