経歴

• Reading: けいれき
• Romaji: keireki
• Kanji breakdown: 経 (kei/kyou) — pass through, experience, sutra; 歴 (reki) — history, record, chronicle
• Pronunciation: /keː.ɾe.ki/

Meaning

Personal history; career background; professional record. A summary of one's work and life experiences.

A noun referring to a person's career history and professional background. Often used when discussing résumés, job applications, and professional introductions. More focused on career trajectory than 履歴 (rireki, which can include education and personal details). Commonly appears in phrases like 華やかな経歴 (hanayaka na keireki, brilliant career). Essential vocabulary for business and job-seeking contexts.

Examples

1. 彼女の経歴を見ると、様々な分野で活躍してきたことがわかる。 Looking at her career history, you can see she has been active in a wide range of fields.
2. 面接では経歴について詳しく聞かれた。 At the interview, I was asked in detail about my career background.
3. 経歴を偽ることは信用を失うことになる。 Falsifying your career history will result in a loss of trust.

Usage Guide

Context: job hunting, business, introductions, HR

Tone: professional

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 経 (kei, pass through/experience) + 歴 (reki, history/record). Literally 'experienced history' — the record of what one has passed through professionally.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal