Chinese character · HSK 4
史 (shǐ) — “history / annals”
The character originally depicts a hand (the bottom crossing strokes) holding a writing brush to write on a record or scroll (the top box), perfectly illustrating the concept of a historian recording history.
How to remember 史
A historian's hand sweeps across the page, holding a brush to write the history of the world in an open scroll.
Inside the character
- 口 (mouth) — meaning component. Often marks speaking, eating, or any opening.
- 乂 (X-cross / govern) — meaning component. A crossing stroke — appears in 区 / 凶 / 杀, sometimes carrying a governing or crossing sense.
Where 史 comes from
In ancient Oracle Bone script, '史' was an ideogram showing a right hand holding a writing brush or an official tally, directly representing the occupation of an official scribe or historian.
Words that use 史
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 历史 | lì shǐ | history | HSK 4 |
| 史记 | shǐ jì | historical records | HSK 4 |
| 史无前例 | shǐ wú qián lì | unprecedented in history | HSK 7 |
Learn 史 the visual way. InkSeal pairs every HSK 1–6 character
with an illustration like this one, plus component breakdowns, etymology, and
spaced review. The first 100 characters are free.
More characters: 壮 (zhuàng, strong / robust) · 壶 (hú, pot / kettle) · 夹 (jiā, to clip / to squeeze) — or browse the full character library.