经历 meaning in English
to experience; to go through; experience (CL:段[duan4],次[ci4])
Meaning of 经历
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to experience; to go through
- experience (CL:段[duan4],次[ci4])
How to use 经历
经历 works as a verb for going through something, often big events or hardships, and as a noun for a personal experience. It pairs with measure words like 段 (duàn) and 次 (cì). Example: 这是一次难忘的经历。(Zhè shì yí cì nánwàng de jīnglì.) This was an unforgettable experience.
经 (jīng) means to pass through, and 历 (lì) also means to go through, as in 历史 (lìshǐ) history. Put them together and you have the things you have lived through.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 经历 with 经验 (jīngyàn). 经历 is what happened to you, while 经验 is the skill or knowledge you gained from it, so say 工作经验 (gōngzuò jīngyàn) for work experience, not 工作经历, when you mean know-how.
经历 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
经 jīng · classics · 8 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
历 lì · history · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Related words
Words that share a character with 经历.
| 已经 | yǐjīng | already |
| 经常 | jīngcháng | frequently; constantly; regularly; often; day-to-day; everyday; daily |
| 经过 | jīngguò | to pass; to go through |
| 经理 | jīnglǐ | manager; director |
| 曾经 | céngjīng | once; already |
| 经验 | jīngyàn | experience; to go through; to experience |
| 经济 | jīngjì | economy; economic |
| 经营 | jīngyíng | to engage in (business etc); to run; to operate |
| 历史 | lìshǐ | history |
| 经典 | jīngdiǎn | the classics; scriptures |
| 简历 | jiǎnlì | curriculum vitae (CV); résumé |
| 日历 | rìlì | calendar |
Questions about 经历
What does 经历 mean?
经历 (jīnglì) means "to experience; to go through; experience (CL:段[duan4],次[ci4])" and is used as a verb and noun.
How do you write 经历?
经历 is made of 2 characters: 经 (8 strokes), 历 (4 strokes). That is 12 strokes in total.
Is 经历 an HSK word?
Yes. 经历 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 经历 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 经历 is written 經歷.
Can I say 我经历过 to mean I have experienced something?
Yes. 经历 often takes 过 to show past experience, as in 我经历过很多困难 (Wǒ jīnglì guo hěn duō kùnnán), I have been through many difficulties. It sounds a bit more serious than everyday verbs like 有过 (yǒu guo).
What is the difference between 经历 and 经过?
经过 (jīngguò) is mostly about passing through a place or process, like 经过北京 (jīngguò Běijīng), passing through Beijing. 经历 focuses on personally living through events or experiences, so it is used for life events rather than routes.