Chinese Character Wiki
史

shǐ

history

The characters 史 (history), 吏 (government official), 使 (cause; use; instruct), and 事 (matter; work; affair) are all etymologically related and all derive from the same ancient character, depicting a hand (又) holding a container for writing utensils.

Components
◎ iconic component

◎  Iconic component

  

characterless component

Depicts a container for writing utensils.

又 iconic component

又  Iconic component

yòu

  

(hand), again

Depicts a hand.

Evolution

史 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
史 Bronze script Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze script

Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)
史 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
史 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
史 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

史  

shǐ

history, chronicle, annals; history; annals; title of an official historian in ancient China

史  

Shǐ

surname Shi

Most common words with 史
Freq.
Word
Meaning

历史

history

史

history

历史上

historical

有史以来

since the beginning of history

史蒂夫

Steve (male name)

Component uses

Sound component in 3 characters (1 verified)

吏 駛 驶

Iconic component in 1 character (1 verified)

吏

Historical pronunciation

Old Chinese

Middle Chinese

Pinyin

Gloss

*s-rəʔ

sriX

shǐ

scribe


Statistics

HSK level 4

Appears in 40.8938% of movies

745th most common character in movies

456th most common character in books

Miscellaneous

Strokes

5

Unicode

U+53F2

Shuowen

“史，記事者也。从又持中；中，正也。”


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