follow the vine to get the melon—track down sb or sth by following clues; investigate an affair in accordance with a certain clue
? 上邊還拚命要我們～，…… (宗福先《于無聲處》33) We’ve been ordered from higher up to track down their supporters.
順藤摸瓜
follow the vine to get the melon—track down sb (or sth)by following the clues;hunt for sb (or sth)by following the traces
順藤摸瓜shùn ténɡ mō ɡuā
比喻沿著發(fā)現(xiàn)的線索去追根究底。track down sb. or sth. by following clues, follow the vine to get the melon