积累

• Pinyin: jī lěi
• Hanzi breakdown: 积 = 禾 (grain) + 只 (only, phonetic) — grain stored up; 累 = 田 (field) + 糸 (thread) — layers of thread or effort

Meaning

To accumulate; to build up over time. The gradual gathering of experience, knowledge, wealth, or resources.

Used for both tangible things (wealth, savings) and intangible things (experience, knowledge). Emphasizes a slow, steady process rather than sudden gain. Often appears as both a verb and a noun. Common collocations include 积累经验 (accumulate experience), 积累财富 (build wealth), and 积累知识 (build up knowledge).

Examples

1. 学好一门语言需要长时间的积累。 Learning a language well requires a long period of accumulation.
2. 她在工作中积累了丰富的管理经验。 She accumulated rich management experience through her work.
3. 成功不是一天就能实现的，需要不断积累。 Success cannot be achieved in a single day — it requires continuous accumulation.

Usage Guide

Context: education, career, personal growth

Tone: encouraging

Do Say

• 多读书可以积累词汇量。(Reading more can help you build up your vocabulary.)
• 他积累了二十年的教学经验。(He has accumulated twenty years of teaching experience.)

Don't Say

• 我积累了一个苹果 (Don't use 积累 for individual items — it implies gradual buildup over time, not collecting a single thing)

Origin & History

积 (to pile up, to store) + 累 (to accumulate, layer upon layer) — both characters reinforce the idea of gradual buildup.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal