叙事 (xù shì) — to narrate, to recount (a story or event)

Definition

A formal, written verb meaning to narrate or recount a story or events — used in literature, film, and academic discussion, not everyday speech.

verb

to narrateto recount (a story or event)

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

叙 means to tell, and 事 means events, so the word means to tell events.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 敘; 叙 is its simplified writing.

余攵敘

Meaning part形符xíngfú

攵Written in full as攴pū

Sound part声符shēngfú

余

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 敘 puts 余 on the left, giving the sound yú, and 攵 on the right as the meaningful part; the simplified 叙 is a shorthand.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

In 事, 又 is a hand and 中 is a flagpole with a drum; holding a flag in hand depicts performing a job.

Appears in