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讲述 (jiǎng shù) — to narrate, to give an account, to tell (a story or experience)

Definition

讲述 (jiǎngshù) means to narrate or recount a story or experience — more formal and literary than 讲 (jiǎng, 'to tell/speak'), and focused on recounting events rather than explaining (讲解) or discussing (谈论).

verb
to narrateto give an accountto tell (a story or experience)

Examples

  • 讲述。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng jiǎng shù le yí gè gǎn rén de ài qíng gù shi.
    This movie tells a touching love story.
  • 讲述。
    Tā jiǎng shù le zì jǐ xiǎo shí hou de shēng huó jīng lì.
    He described his childhood life experiences.
  • 讲述。
    Zhè běn shū jiǎng shù le gǔ dài zhōng guó de lì shǐ.
    This book narrates the history of ancient China.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

讲jiǎngspeak
述shùstate

讲 means speak and 述 means state; together they mean to tell or narrate.

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 講; 讲 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánsay
Sound part声符shēngfú
冓
冓gòu講jiǎng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 講 puts 言, say, beside 冓, which gave it its sound; the simplified 讲 is a later abbreviation.

Open 讲 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
朮
朮zhú述shù
Same sound today

述 combines 辵, a walking radical, with 朮, which gives the sound; the walking part belongs to the meaning.

Open 述 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5Communication & Speech

Browse more HSK 5 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.