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HSK 3

历史

history

nounneutral1 episode
历
lì4th tone
史
shǐ3rd tone

HSK level

1
2
3
4
5
6
Pinyin
lìshǐ
Part of speech
noun
Level
HSK 3
Strokes
9
Register
neutral
Measure word
段 / 部
In episodes
1

Stroke order for 历史

历史 is written with 9 strokes (历: 4, 史: 5). The animation replays automatically.

What does 历史 mean?

历史 (lìshǐ) means 'history' — both the academic subject and the actual past events of a country, person, or institution.

As a school subject: 历史课 (history class), 学历史 (study history). As 'the past': 中国的历史 (China's history), 这家公司有100年的历史 ('this company has 100 years of history'). Unlike English, Chinese commonly treats 'has history' as a way to say something is old or established: 有历史 literally 'has history' = 'is historic / well-established.'

The character 历 (calendar / experience / pass through) plus 史 (records of the past) gives the literal sense 'records of what has been lived through.' Common adjective form is 历史的 or 历史性的 (historic). Do not confuse with 故事 (gùshi, 'story') — 历史 is real, documented; 故事 can be fictional.

Character by character

历lìto experience; pass through; calendar
+
史shǐhistory; historical records
=
历史

Memory hook: 历 (experience/pass through) + 史 (records) = the records of what has been passed through — history.

Hear 历史 in real episodes

历史 appears in 1 Fluentide podcast episode at natural native speed — each with the full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.

Matthew McConaughey Meets the First American Pope历史 spoken at natural speedmedium
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Example sentences

我喜欢学中国历史。

Wǒ xǐhuan xué Zhōngguó lìshǐ.

I like studying Chinese history.

neutral

这本书讲的是历史。

Zhè běn shū jiǎng de shì lìshǐ.

This book is about history.

neutral

北京有很长的历史。

Běijīng yǒu hěn cháng de lìshǐ.

Beijing has a very long history.

neutral

明天我们有历史课。

Míngtiān wǒmen yǒu lìshǐ kè.

Tomorrow we have a history class.

spoken

Common phrases with 历史

历史课lìshǐ kèhistory class
中国历史Zhōngguó lìshǐChinese history
学历史xué lìshǐstudy history
历史悠久lìshǐ yōujiǔlong-standing history
有历史的yǒu lìshǐ dehistoric; with history

Synonyms

过去guòqù

过去 means 'the past' as a general time concept (yesterday, last year, earlier in life). 历史 is documented past — events significant enough to be recorded. Your personal 过去 isn't really 历史.

Don't confuse 历史 with

故事gùshi

故事 means 'story' and can be fiction or fact. 历史 is real, recorded past. A 历史故事 is 'a story FROM history' — using both words together is common.

厉害lìhai

厉害 ('amazing / formidable / severe') sounds similar in the first syllable. 历史 is the noun 'history.' Different characters, different meanings — just listen for what follows 'lì.'

FAQ

Related words from the same episodes

公开public, open机会chance, opportunity教皇the Pope普通ordinary顺路on the way, while one is at it握手to shake hands信仰faith, belief意外accident; accidental原因reason

Acquire it by listening

Meet 历史 again — in real Chinese, at your level.

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