史料(しりょう)

しりょう
noun
historical materials; historical sources
educationhistory
1. historical materials; historical sources; primary sources
Documents, records, artifacts, and other materials from the past used as evidence for studying and reconstructing history.
貴重(きちょう)な史料(しりょう)が発見(はっけん)された。
Valuable historical materials were discovered.
史料(しりょう)に基(もと)づいて論文(ろんぶん)を書(か)く。
To write a paper based on historical sources.
戦争(せんそう)当時(とうじ)の手紙(てがみ)や日記(にっき)は、当時(とうじ)の生活(せいかつ)を知(し)るための重要(じゅうよう)な史料(しりょう)だ。
Letters and diaries from wartime are important historical sources for understanding life at that time.

A compound of 史(し) (history) and 料(りょう) (material). Specifically refers to materials used as evidence in historical research, as distinct from general reference materials.

Usage

A key term in history, archaeology, and academic research. 史料(しりょう) includes documents, records, inscriptions, maps, photographs, and physical artifacts — anything that serves as primary evidence of the past. Note the homophone 資料(しりょう) (reference materials, data), which is a much broader, everyday term.

Common collocations

  • 史料(しりょう)を調(しら)べる — to examine historical sources
  • 史料(しりょう)に基(もと)づく — based on historical sources
  • 一次(いちじ)史料(しりょう) — primary sources
  • 史料(しりょう)批判(ひはん) — source criticism (evaluating reliability of historical materials)

Similar words

Related Words

Homophone: 資料(しりょう) (materials, data, reference materials)
Compare: 文献(ぶんけん) (literature, written sources)
Compare: 古文書(こもんじょ) (old documents, historical manuscripts)
general
Added 2026.3.31 0:12 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
20500/20753_shiryou