| 追溯 | zhuī sù | lit. to go upstream; to trace sth back to; to date from | |
| 回溯 | huí sù | to recall; to look back upon | |
| 追本溯源 | zhuī běn sù yuán | to trace sth back to its origin | |
| 推本溯源 | tuī běn sù yuán | to go back to the source | |
| 追根溯源 | zhuī gēn sù yuán | to pursue sth back to its origins; to trace back to the source; to get to the bottom of sth |
| 1 | This law is not retroactive. | |
| 2 | The tax ruling has retrospective effect. | |
| 3 | This way gem users can trace back a gem to a trusted source. | |
| 4 | Most migratory fish, such as salmon and shad, are anadromous, spawning in fresh water and living as adults in salt water. | |
| 5 | Professor David Catling of the University of Washington, Seattle, is retracing Darwin's travels for a new book. |