sad story; tragic history
A somewhat literary or formal term for a sorrowful tale or historical account. Often used in titles or descriptions of tragic narratives.
This novel depicts the sad story of a family.
Pass on the tragic history of the war to future generations.
Compound of 哀 (sorrow, grief) and 史 (history, chronicle). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination naturally yields the meaning 'sad story' or 'tragic history'.