Definition

Noun: * Origin; source; background: The history, circumstances, or details of a person's or thing's origin and development. It refers to the story of where someone or something comes from and the path they have taken. * Identity; personal history: Specifically for a person, it can mean their personal background, lineage, or the known facts about their past.

Usage Examples

• (He does not want to reveal his background.)
• (The police are investigating the suspect's origin / personal history.)
• (I have researched the origin of this ancient painting.)
• (A person with an unclear background / identity.)

Advanced Usage

• "Kể lai lịch": To recount one's origin or the full story from the beginning.
  • Ông ấy kể lai lịch của dòng họ cho con cháu nghe. (He told his descendants the origin story of the family lineage.)
• "Lai lịch trong sạch/rõ ràng": Having a clean/clear background.
  • Ứng viên phải có lai lịch trong sạch. (The candidate must have a clean background.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nguồn gốc (noun): Origin, source. Often used more broadly for objects, ideas, or species.
  • Nguồn gốc của loài người. (The origin of humankind.)
• Xuất thân (noun): Social or class origin, background (often related to family or upbringing).
  • Anh ấy xuất thân từ một gia đình nông dân. (He comes from a peasant family.)
• Tiểu sử (noun): Biography; a detailed account of a person's life.
  • Cuốn sách viết về tiểu sử của nhà khoa học. (The book is about the scientist's biography.)

Synonyms

• Gốc gác: Roots, ancestry.
• Căn cước: Identity (often in a formal/legal sense, like "căn cước công dân" - citizen identification).
• Lý lịch: Personal record/dossier (often used in administrative or official contexts).

Related Phrases / Idioms

• "Không rõ lai lịch": Of unknown origin/background.
  • Chiếc xe không rõ lai lịch đỗ trước cửa. (A car of unknown origin is parked in front of the door.)
• "Tra lai lịch": To check someone's background/history.
  • Công ty tra lai lịch kỹ lưỡng tất cả nhân viên mới. (The company checks the background of all new employees thoroughly.)

noun

1. origin; source
   • lai lịch một gia đình
     the source of family