Definitions

(verb) to narrate; to tell; to describe
(verb) to chat; to talk

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 叙 is a phono-semantic compound, with the semantic radical 攵 (a hand holding a tool, indicating action) on the right and the phonetic component 余 on the left. Its traditional forms, 敘 and 敍, use the same components. The original meaning was to put things in order or establish a sequence. This concept of structuring transferred to speech and writing, giving rise to the modern meanings of narrating, recounting, or chatting, as telling a story inherently requires arranging events in a logical or temporal order.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Wu (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他在述故事。

Tā zài xùshù gùshi.

He is narrating a story.

她喜欢述经历。

Tā xǐhuān xùshù jīnglì.

She likes to narrate experiences.

我们昨天旧了。

Wǒmen zuótiān xùjiù le.

We reminisced about old times yesterday.

这本书事清晰。

Zhè běn shū xùshì qīngxī.

This book narrates clearly.

他详细述了事件经过。

Tā xiángxì xùshùle shìjiàn jīngguò.

He narrated the course of the event in detail.

在会议上,他述了公司的计划。

Zài huìyì shàng, tā xùshùle gōngsī de jìhuà.

At the meeting, he narrated the company's plan.

事情节需要更生动。

Xùshì qíngjié xūyào gèng shēngdòng.

The narrative plot needs to be more vivid.

尽管时间有限,他还是完整地述了整个故事。

Jǐnguǎn shíjiān yǒuxiàn, tā háishì wánzhěng de xùshùle zhěnggè gùshi.

Despite the limited time, he still narrated the entire story completely.