軌跡

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 軌跡 (きせき) combines track 軌 and trace 跡 to denote a trajectory or a path through time.
• Basic usage: It describes a meteor trail and an artist's creative development shown chronologically.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Spatial trajectory and figurative career path
  • A moving object yields a visible track, while a person's body of work turns 軌跡 into a historical progression.