historical fact
Refers to a fact or event that actually happened in history, as opposed to fiction or legend. Often used in academic or journalistic contexts.
この小説は史実に基づいている。
This novel is based on historical facts.
This novel is written based on historical fact.
史実を調べるために古文書を読んだ。
I read old documents to investigate the historical facts.
Much of the movie's content differs from historical fact.
This is praised as a depiction faithful to historical fact.
The report was criticized for distorting historical fact.
実話 is a true story or real-life account often used for anecdotes or media, while 史実 specifically denotes a verified fact from recorded history.
Compound of 史 (history) and 実 (truth, reality). The reading is on'yomi for both characters.