来历

• Pinyin: lái lì
• Hanzi breakdown: 来 = come; 历 = 厂 (cliff) + 力 (power) + 日 — history/pass through

Meaning

Origin; background; history. Where something or someone comes from.

Can refer to the origins of objects, customs, words, or people. Often used when investigating something suspicious or when explaining how something came to be.

Examples

1. 这幅画来历不明，可能是赝品。 The origin of this painting is unknown — it might be a forgery.
2. 过年放鞭炮的来历有好几种说法。 There are several explanations for the origin of setting off firecrackers during New Year.
3. 他的来历一直是个谜，没人知道他从哪里来。 His background has always been a mystery — no one knows where he came from.

Usage Guide

Context: investigation, history, explanation

Tone: inquisitive

Do Say

• 这笔钱来历不明。(The origin of this money is unknown.)
• 你知道这个节日的来历吗？(Do you know the origin of this holiday?)

Don't Say

• 用来历代替来源或出处。(来历 emphasizes background/history — use 来源 for source or 出处 for citation)

Origin & History

Compound of 来 (come) + 历 (pass through/history). The path something has traveled through time.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal