Meaning
述 means to state, narrate, or express something in words, often in a formal or systematic way. It appears frequently in written Chinese and formal contexts, particularly when describing the act of recounting events, presenting ideas, or expressing thoughts in an organized manner.
Usage
述 is primarily used in formal writing and speech. It commonly appears in compounds like 叙述 (to narrate), 陈述 (to state), and 讲述 (to tell/recount). While understood in daily conversation, native speakers typically use more colloquial expressions like 说 or 讲 in casual speech. 述 often carries a sense of systematic or official presentation of information.
Examples
- 01他详细地述说了事情的经过。.He recounted the course of events in detail.
- 02这本书综述了近代中国的历史发展。.This book provides an overview of modern Chinese historical development.
Common collocations
- 述说to recount, to relate
- 口述oral statement, to dictate
- 综述summary, review
- 自述personal statement, autobiography
Origin
The character 述 is a phonosemantic compound combining 辶 (movement) and 朮 (phonetic component), originally suggesting the idea of following or transmitting words along a path.