纪事 (jì shì) — chronicle (n.) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literary/written verb and noun meaning 'to chronicle' or 'a chronicle' — a formal record of events, usually historical. Common in book titles and academic writing, unlike everyday storytelling words.

chronicle (n.)

Examples

纪事。
Zhè běn jì shì jì zǎi le zhòng yào de lì shǐ shì jiàn.
This chronicle records important historical events.
纪事。
Tā xiě le yí bù guān yú táng cháo de jì shì.
He wrote a chronicle about the Tang Dynasty.
纪事。
Zhè bù jì shì de shǐ liào jià zhí hěn gāo.
The historical material value of this chronicle is very high.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

纪jìrecord

“纪” means to record and “事” means events, giving a record of 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 紀; 纪 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mìsilk

Sound part声符shēngfú

己

己jǐ紀jì

Same sound today

The traditional form 紀 pairs 糸, silk, with 己 as the sound part; the simplified 纪 is a shorthand.

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

又又yòuhand
中中zhōnga flagpole with a drum

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

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