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Kotomora

歴

curriculum, continuation, passage of time

JLPTN2StatusJōyō · grade 5FrequencyTop 1,000Strokes14

Readings

On'yomi

  • レキ
  • レッキ

Kun'yomi

—

Meaning

歴 centers on the idea of things passing in sequence: the passage of time, a continuing record, or a curriculum that unfolds step by step.

Most common words using 歴

20 of 148
  • 歴史れきし
    N4

    history

  • 履歴りれき
    N1

    personal history; background; career

  • 歴れき

    experience; history; record; career

  • 経歴けいれき
    N1

    personal history; background; career

  • 歴代れきだい

    successive generations; successive emperors

  • 学歴がくれき
    N2

    academic background; academic credentials; academic record

  • 越歴エレキ

    electricity

  • 職歴しょくれき
    N1

    work experience; work history

  • 歴任れきにん

    successive jobs; consecutive jobs

  • 遍歴へんれき

    travels; pilgrimage; itinerancy

  • 高学歴こうがくれき
    N2

    high academic achievement; advanced academic training; higher education

  • 歴戦れきせん

    veteran (e.g. soldier); battle-hardened; seasoned; (of) long military service

  • 歴としたれっきとした

    accepted; fully-fledged; clear; respectable

  • 略歴りゃくれき

    brief personal record; short curriculum vitae; short CV

  • 前歴ぜんれき

    personal history

  • 病歴びょうれき

    medical history; case history; clinical history

  • 戦歴せんれき

    military service; combat experience

  • 来歴らいれき

    history; career

  • 歴然れきぜん
    N1

    evident; plain; distinct; clear

  • 芸歴げいれき

    one's history as a performer

Explore all words using 歴 →

Study

Etymology

歴 is the modern simplified form of 歷. The older form combines 止 (foot/stop) with 厤, which likely contributed the sound and the idea of passing through or sequence.

Meaning mnemonic

The top looks like a cliff 厂 over trees 林, and the bottom is a foot 止. Imagine walking past a line of trees under a cliff, marking the passage of time and a continuing journey.

Reading mnemonic

For レキ, picture a wrecking ball swinging in a continuous arc through time: wreck -> レキ, and the ball keeps passing through the scene.