gùshi: 故事 - Story, Tale, Narrative

• Keywords: gushi, gùshi, 故事, Chinese story, tell a story in Chinese, what does gushi mean, Chinese narrative, Chinese tale, learn Chinese words, HSK 3 vocabulary
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 故事 (gùshi), the essential Chinese word for “story.” This page provides a deep dive into its cultural significance, practical daily usage, and character origins. Learn how to tell stories, talk about movies, and share personal anecdotes in Mandarin Chinese, with dozens of example sentences and clear explanations designed for English-speaking beginners.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): gùshi
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: A story, tale, or narrative.
• In a Nutshell: 故事 (gùshi) is your all-purpose word for any kind of story. It can refer to a children's fairy tale, the plot of a blockbuster movie, a historical account, or a personal anecdote you share with a friend. If you can call it a “story” in English, you can almost certainly call it a `故事` in Chinese.

• 故 (gù): This character's primary meaning is “old,” “former,” “past,” or “reason.” Think of it as relating to events that have already happened.
• 事 (shì): This character means “matter,” “event,” “affair,” or “thing.” It refers to an occurrence or a situation.

When combined, 故事 (gùshi) literally translates to “old matters” or “past events.” This beautifully captures the essence of a story: a narration of things that have taken place.

Storytelling is the bedrock of Chinese culture, serving as a primary vehicle for transmitting history, morality, and wisdom through generations. The concept of `故事` is therefore deeply cherished. Unlike the common Western “hero's journey” narrative that often focuses on an individual's transformation, many traditional Chinese stories place a stronger emphasis on moral lessons, historical precedent, or social harmony. A prime example is the vast collection of 成语 (chéngyǔ), or four-character idioms. Nearly every `成语` is a miniature `故事`, a condensed historical or mythical tale that imparts a specific moral. For instance, the idiom `守株待兔 (shǒu zhū dài tù)`, “guarding a stump to wait for a rabbit,” comes from a story about a foolish farmer, and it teaches a lesson about not relying on dumb luck. This means that for Chinese speakers, a `故事` is often more than just entertainment; it's a carrier of cultural DNA, a lesson from the past that informs the present.

`故事` is an incredibly common word used in countless everyday situations.

• Family and Children: The most classic usage. Parents and grandparents `讲故事 (jiǎng gùshi)` or “tell stories” to children at bedtime.
  • `你睡觉前想听个故事吗？ (Nǐ shuìjiào qián xiǎng tīng ge gùshi ma?)` - Do you want to hear a story before you sleep?
• Social Conversation: When you share a personal experience or an interesting thing that happened to you, you are telling a `故事`.
  • `我给你讲个我自己的故事吧。(Wǒ gěi nǐ jiǎng ge wǒ zìjǐ de gùshi ba.)` - Let me tell you a personal story.
• Media and Entertainment: It's used to refer to the plot or narrative of a book, movie, or TV series.
  • `这部电影的故事很感人。(Zhè bù diànyǐng de gùshi hěn gǎnrén.)` - This movie's story is very touching.
• Figurative Meaning: `故事` can also refer to someone's complex past or backstory.
  • `他是一个有故事的男人。(Tā shì yī ge yǒu gùshi de nánrén.)` - He is a man with a story (i.e., he has a deep, interesting, or complicated past).

• Example 1:
  • 我爸爸每天晚上都给我讲故事。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bàba měitiān wǎnshang dōu gěi wǒ jiǎng gùshi.
  • English: My dad tells me a story every night.
  • Analysis: A classic, simple sentence showing the common collocation `讲故事 (jiǎng gùshi)`, “to tell a story.”
• Example 2:
  • 这个故事的结局是什么？
  • Pinyin: Zhège gùshi de jiéjú shì shénme?
  • English: What is the ending of this story?
  • Analysis: Demonstrates how `故事` can be possessed, using `的 (de)`. `结局 (jiéjú)` means “ending.”
• Example 3:
  • 你相信这个故事是真的吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ xiāngxìn zhège gùshi shì zhēn de ma?
  • English: Do you believe this story is true?
  • Analysis: Shows how `故事` can be discussed in terms of its truthfulness.
• Example 4:
  • 她把自己的经历写成了一个感人的故事。
  • Pinyin: Tā bǎ zìjǐ de jīnglì xiě chéngle yī ge gǎnrén de gùshi.
  • Analysis: She wrote her experiences into a touching story.
  • Analysis: This uses the `把 (bǎ)` structure to show transformation. `写成 (xiě chéng)` means “to write into.”
• Example 5:
  • 这是一个关于友谊的故事。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì yī ge guānyú yǒuyì de gùshi.
  • English: This is a story about friendship.
  • Analysis: The structure `关于…的 (guānyú…de)` is very useful for describing the topic of a story, book, or movie.
• Example 6:
  • 这部电影的故事有点复杂，我没看懂。
  • Pinyin: Zhè bù diànyǐng de gùshi yǒudiǎn fùzá, wǒ méi kàn dǒng.
  • English: This movie's story is a bit complicated, I didn't understand it.
  • Analysis: A practical example of how to give an opinion on a film's plot.
• Example 7:
  • 每个成语背后都有一个有趣的故事。
  • Pinyin: Měi ge chéngyǔ bèihòu dōu yǒu yī ge yǒuqù de gùshi.
  • English: Behind every idiom, there is an interesting story.
  • Analysis: This highlights the cultural link between `成语 (chéngyǔ)` and `故事`.
• Example 8:
  • 别编故事了，告诉我实话。
  • Pinyin: Bié biān gùshi le, gàosù wǒ shíhuà.
  • English: Stop making up stories and tell me the truth.
  • Analysis: Here, `编故事 (biān gùshi)` means “to make up a story” or “to lie.” This shows a negative connotation.
• Example 9:
  • 他看起来很年轻，但其实是个有故事的人。
  • Pinyin: Tā kànqǐlái hěn niánqīng, dàn qíshí shì ge yǒu gùshi de rén.
  • English: He looks very young, but he's actually a person with a backstory.
  • Analysis: A great example of the figurative use, meaning someone has a rich or complex life experience.
• Example 10:
  • 我们来听听历史故事吧。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen lái tīngting lìshǐ gùshi ba.
  • English: Let's listen to some historical stories.
  • Analysis: Shows how `故事` can be combined with other nouns like `历史 (lìshǐ)` to specify the type of story.

• `故事 (gùshi)` vs. `小说 (xiǎoshuō)`: This is a common point of confusion. `故事` is a general term for any narrative. `小说 (xiǎoshuō)` specifically means “novel” or a work of written fiction. All novels (`小说`) are stories (`故事`), but not all stories are novels. A personal anecdote is a `故事`, but it is not a `小说`.
• `故事 (gùshi)` vs. `历史 (lìshǐ)`: Don't use `故事` when you mean “history” in an academic sense. `历史 (lìshǐ)` is the study or record of past events. A “historical story” is a `历史故事 (lìshǐ gùshi)`, which is a narrative set in the past, but the field of study is just `历史 (lìshǐ)`.
  • Incorrect: 我在大学学习中国故事。(Wǒ zài dàxué xuéxí Zhōngguó de gùshi.)
  • Correct: 我在大学学习中国历史。(Wǒ zài dàxué xuéxí Zhōngguó de lìshǐ.) - I study Chinese history at university.
• “Making up a story”: As seen in Example 8, the verb `编 (biān)`, meaning “to weave” or “to fabricate,” is used with `故事` to mean “making up a story” in the sense of lying. The neutral verb for “telling” a story is `讲 (jiǎng)`.

• 传说 (chuánshuō) - Legend; a traditional story that is popularly regarded as historical but is not authenticated.
• 神话 (shénhuà) - Myth; a story concerning gods, goddesses, and the early history of a people, often explaining natural or social phenomena.
• 小说 (xiǎoshuō) - Novel; a long-form work of fiction. A more specific type of `故事`.
• 童话 (tónghuà) - Fairy tale; a story for children, typically involving magical elements.
• 成语 (chéngyǔ) - Idiom; four-character expressions, many of which are condensed stories with a moral lesson.
• 历史 (lìshǐ) - History; the academic discipline or the factual record of the past.
• 情节 (qíngjié) - Plot; the main events or storyline of a play, novel, or movie.
• 讲 (jiǎng) - To tell, speak, or explain; the most common verb paired with `故事`.
• 听 (tīng) - To listen; the verb for the person receiving the story.
• 写 (xiě) - To write; the verb used for creating a written `故事`.