敘 (xù) - To narrate, relate, recount & to talk about, describe

敘Tone 4

xù ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

信嫣

敘 · xù

To narrate, relate, recount;

to talk about, describe;

to arrange in order;

preface, introduction.

To narrate, relate, recountto talk about, describeto arrange in order

Usage highlights

To narratePrefaceTo recountTo chatNarrativeTo reminisce

Synonyms

  • 述— to state, relate
  • 说— to speak, say
  • 讲— to tell, explain

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He narrated the story in detail (叙述故事).
  • The author wrote a preface to the book (写序言).
  • The teacher asked the students to recount their experiences (叙述经历).
  • The report describes the event clearly (叙述事件).

Collocations

  • To narrate(叙述)
  • Preface(序言)
  • To recount(叙说)
  • To chat(叙谈)
  • Narrative(叙事)
  • To reminisce(叙旧)

Idioms

  • To chat about old times(叙旧)
  • Narrative poetry(叙事诗)
  • To talk freely(畅叙幽情)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally meant 'to arrange in order' or 'sequence', later extended to 'narrate' or 'relate'.
  • Used in classical Chinese literature for prefaces and introductory remarks.
  • The character appears in contexts involving storytelling and personal conversation.

FAQ