叙述

• Pinyin: xù shù
• Hanzi breakdown: 叙 = 又 + 余 (narrate/arrange in order); 述 = 辶 + 术 (to state/recount — moving through a narrative)

Meaning

To narrate; to recount; to describe. Giving an account of events or experiences in an orderly manner.

A key term in literary studies (叙述方式 = narrative mode) and everyday communication. Implies an organised, sequential account — more formal than 说 (to say) and more neutral than 描述 (to describe, which emphasises detail). Used in journalism, academics, and testimony.

Examples

1. 证人在法庭上详细叙述了案发当晚的经过，为陪审团提供了关键证据。 On the stand, the witness described in detail what happened on the night of the incident, providing key evidence for the jury.
2. 这部回忆录以第一人称叙述了作者在文化大革命期间的亲身经历。 This memoir recounts, in the first person, the author’s firsthand experiences during the Cultural Revolution.
3. 报告要求研究人员客观叙述实验过程，不得加入任何主观推测或个人评判。 The report required researchers to describe the experimental procedure objectively and not add any subjective speculation or personal judgment.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, law, journalism, academic

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 他向警察详细叙述了被骗的全过程，希望能为案件的侦破提供有价值的线索。(He gave the police a detailed account of the entire process by which he was defrauded, hoping to provide useful leads for the investigation.)
• 论文的正文部分应客观叙述研究方法与实验结果，分析与讨论则另设章节展开。(The body of the thesis should objectively narrate the research methods and experimental results, with analysis and discussion presented in separate dedicated sections.)

Don't Say

• 叙述感情 — for expressing emotions use 表达感情 or 倾诉; 叙述 implies narrating events/facts, not conveying feelings

Origin & History

叙 (to narrate/order) + 述 (to state/recount) — both characters independently mean 'to tell/narrate', combined for emphasis

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal