历史
HSK 3 (exam 2025)HSK 4 (2021)Old HSK 3
历史 (lìshǐ) · history
历史 (lìshǐ) means “history”. It is written with 2 characters: 历 (history) + 史 (history). It is an HSK 3 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 历史 is built
The characters
历 lì · history
What 历 is made of
- 厂chǎng — "cliff" in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 27)
- 力lì — power
- 丿 — falling stroke
Origin hint: 厤 gives the meaning, 力 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
史 shǐ · history
What 史 is made of
- 口kǒu — mouth
- 冂 — frame
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 冂 — frame
- 乂yì — crossed strokes
- 丿 — falling stroke
Origin hint: A hand 乂 using a pen to record a history (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
我对中国历史很有兴趣。Wǒ duì Zhōngguó lìshǐ hěn yǒu xìngqù.I'm very interested in Chinese history.
这个城市有多少年历史？Zhège chéngshì yǒu duōshao nián lìshǐ?How many years of history does this city have?
Questions about 历史
What does 历史 mean?
历史 (lìshǐ) means “history”.
How do you pronounce 历史?
历史 is pronounced lìshǐ.
Which HSK level is 历史?
历史 is in HSK 3 (exam 2025) and HSK 4 (2021) and Old HSK 3.
Related words
- 经历jīnglìto experience
- 简历jiǎnlìrésumé
- 日历rìlìcalendar
- 学历xuélìeducational background
- 来历láilìorigin
- 历代lìdàisuccessive dynasties
- 历来lìláialways
- 农历nónglìlunar calendar
Learn 历史 with its group
It is part of HSK 4 (2021) · Group 71: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.