歷 meaning and stroke order
History; calendar
How to write 歷, stroke by stroke
16 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
Meaning of 歷
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to experience
- to undergo
- to pass through
- all
- each
- every
How 歷 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Calendar.
厤 gives the meaning and 止 hints at the sound.
Radical: 止 (to stop), shared by 12 characters on this site.
How to remember 歷
The top part 厤 shows two grain stalks 禾禾 under a cliff, and the dictionary links it to the idea of a calendar. Add 止 (a foot) at the bottom and picture feet walking past season after season of harvests, which is how you pass through time and gain experience.
歷 (lì) appears mostly in compounds about time and personal background, such as 歷史 (lìshǐ, history), 經歷 (jīnglì, experience) and 簡歷 (jiǎnlì, résumé). It can also mean "each, every" in words that refer to all past periods. Example: 他的經歷很豐富。(Tā de jīnglì hěn fēngfù.) He has a lot of life experience.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 歷 with 曆, which has 日 (sun) at the bottom and is used for calendars, as in 日曆 (rìlì). Both simplify to 历, so people reading traditional Chinese need to pick 止 for history and experience but 日 for calendars.
Common words with 歷
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 經歷 | jīnglì | to experience; to go through; experience (CL:段[duan4],次[ci4]) | HSK 3 |
| 歷史 | lìshǐ | history | HSK 4 |
| 簡歷 | jiǎnlì | curriculum vitae (CV); résumé | HSK 4 |
| 歷經 | lìjīng | to experience; to go through | HSK 7-9 |
| 學歷 | xuélì | educational background; academic qualifications | HSK 7-9 |
| 來歷 | láilì | history; antecedents | HSK 7-9 |
| 資歷 | zīlì | qualifications; experience | HSK 7-9 |
| 歷程 | lìchéng | course; process | HSK 7-9 |
| 歷時 | lìshí | to last; to take (time) | HSK 7-9 |
| 閱歷 | yuèlì | to experience; experience | HSK 7-9 |
| 歷屆 | lìjiè | all previous (meetings, sessions etc) | HSK 7-9 |
| 歷來 | lìlái | always; throughout (a period of time) | HSK 7-9 |
| 歷史性 | lìshǐxìng | historic | |
| 歷史學家 | lìshǐxuéjiā | historian |
Questions about 歷
How many strokes are in 歷?
歷 is written with 16 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 歷 mean?
歷 (lì) means history; calendar. A common word with it is 经历 (jīnglì), meaning "to experience; to go through; experience (CL:段[duan4],次[ci4])".
How do you pronounce 歷?
歷 is pronounced lì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 歷?
The radical of 歷 is 止, which carries the idea of "to stop". Dictionaries list 歷 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 歷?
歷 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 历, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 經歷 a verb or a noun?
It is both. As a verb it means to go through something, as in 經歷了很多困難 (jīnglì le hěn duō kùnnan, went through many hardships). As a noun it means one's experiences, often counted with 段 (duàn) or 次 (cì).
What is the difference between 學歷 and 資歷?
學歷 (xuélì) is your educational background, such as a bachelor's or master's degree. 資歷 (zīlì) is your work qualifications and seniority built up over years on the job.