How to Write 历 (lì) — Meaning “history or to experience”

Imagine a calendar hanging on a cliff wall (厂) – you need strength (力) to carry your schedule through each day. That visual links the character to both 日历 (calendar) and the idea of experiencing events over time.

Write the top horizontal stroke of 厂 first, then the left vertical stroke, making the cliff shape wide enough for 力 inside. A common mistake is making the 力 too large or touching the top stroke; keep it centered and smaller. The bottom of 厂 should not extend too far below 力.

厂 is just the cliff radical with no added component, while 历 adds 力 inside. 仄 (zè, slanting/narrow) has a person inside 厂 – it relates to a tilted or cramped space. In usage, 历 always involves time or experience, 厂 is a place or factory, and 仄 rarely appears in daily vocabulary.

历 appears in common words like 历史 (history) and 日历 (calendar). It is also used in 经历 (experience) to describe what someone has gone through. Culturally, 历史 is a key concept in Chinese education, emphasizing the importance of learning from past events.

Common words containing 历 include: 历史 (lì shǐ) — history; 日历 (rì lì) — Calendar; 经历 (jīng lì) — Experience or to go through.