故事

Étymologie et composants

The Chinese word 故事 (gùshì) is composed of two characters: 故 (gù), meaning "old" or "past," and 事 (shì), meaning "event" or "matter." Together, they literally mean "old event" or "past matter." In modern Chinese, 故事 is used to refer to a story, tale, or anecdote, often one that has been passed down through generations. It can also be used to refer to a historical event or incident.The earliest known use of 故事 in this sense dates back to the Han Dynasty (206 BCE - 220 CE). In the Han Dynasty, 故事 was used to refer to official records of past events, such as imperial edicts and court decisions. These records were considered to be authoritative sources of information and were often used to guide decision-making in the present.Over time, the meaning of 故事 gradually expanded to include fictional stories and anecdotes. This is likely due to the fact that many fictional stories were based on real historical events or incidents. As a result, the term 故事 came to be used to refer to any type of story, regardless of whether it was true or fictional.Today, 故事 is one of the most common words used to refer to stories in Chinese. It is used in a wide variety of contexts, from everyday conversation to formal writing.