How to say "history" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 歴史れきしnounThe default word for history in every ordinary sense: past events as a whole, a country's or a person's past, and history as a field of study. When in doubt, choose this.
- 史しnoun (suffix), nounA written element meaning history rather than an independent word: it rarely stands alone, turning up inside compound words instead, so for history itself you will almost always want 歴史.
- 由来ゆらいnoun, suru verbThe history of a particular thing in the sense of its origin or derivation — where a custom, name or practice came from. It does not mean history as events or an academic subject.
- 記きnoun, noun (suffix)A written account or chronicle rather than history itself: think of a record of events set down in writing, as in annals. Seldom the word you want for history in ordinary contexts.
- 歴れきsuffixA person's history in the sense of an accumulated record — experience or career — rather than history as past events. It belongs to written compounds and is not a standalone word you would choose.
Use 歴史 for history itself — past events or their study; 由来 for the origin or background of a particular thing; 史, 記 and 歴 are mainly written elements within other words, not standalone choices.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 歴史れきしhistory
- 史しhistory
- 由来ゆらいorigin
- 記きaccount
- 歴れきexperience
- 曰くいわくpretext
- 由緒ゆいしょhistory
- 来歴らいれきhistory
- 沿革えんかくhistory
- ヒストリーhistory
- 史乗しじょうhistory
- 由来書ゆらいがきhistory (of something)
- 竹帛ちくはくhistory
- 動作記録どうさきろくaudit trail
- 実記じっきtrue account
- 謂れ因縁いわれいんねんorigin
- 歴史学れきしがく(study of) history
- 青史せいし(written) history
- 歩みあゆみcourse (of history, one's life, etc.)
- 履歴りれきlog
- 縁起えんぎorigin
- 素性すじょうidentity
- いわれhistory
- 遍歴へんれき(accumulated) experiences
See also
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