Comparing "jingli” and "jingyan”

经历 (jīnglì) and 经验 (jīngyàn) mean "experience" or “to experience”.

	经历 (jīnglì)	经验 (jīngyàn)
Meaning	emphasizes the process of going through an experience	emphasizes the skill or knowledge gained from going through an experience
Part of Speech	noun and verb	noun and verb (rarely used)
Formality	formal and informal	formal and informal

Similarities (when used as nouns)

经历 (jīnglì) AND 经验 (jīngyàn) are both commonly used as nouns and sometimes they can be used interchangeably.

Common Phrases

These phrases work with both 经历 (jīnglì) AND 经验 (jīngyàn):

• 生活～
• 工作～
• 学习～
• ～丰富

Example Sentences

In the following sentences, 经历 (jīnglì) AND 经验 (jīngyàn) can be used interchangeably:

Differences (when used as nouns)

Although 经历 (jīnglì) AND 经验 (jīngyàn) are both nouns, sometimes when used as nouns they CANNOT be used interchangeably.

Common Phrases

These phrases work ONLY with 经历（jīnglì):

• 亲身～

These phrases work ONLY with 经验 (jīngyàn):

• 有～
• 积累～
• 丰富的～

Example Sentences

In the following sentences, ONLY 经历（jīnglì) can be used:

In the following sentences, ONLY 经验 (jīngyàn) can be used:

• 在 这个 公司 工作 ， 积累 了 我的 经验 。
• 我们 需要 一 个 很有 经验 的 员工。
• 我 刚刚 大学 毕业 ， 所以 我 还 没有 工作 经验 。
• 她 有 工作 经验 ， 工作 做 得 不错 。
• 他 已经 工作 十 年 了 ， 有 很 丰富的 工作 经验 。
• 我 希望 可以 积累 更 多 的 工作 经验 。
• 你 的 中文 很 好。你 可以 分享 学 中文 的 经验 吗 ？
• 这个 员工 没有 经验 ， 他 需要 培训 。

Differences (when used as verbs)

Although 经历 (jīnglì) AND 经验 (jīngyàn) are both verbs, the former is used frequently as a verb, whereas the latter is rarely used like this and beyond the scope of this comparison.

Common Phrases

These phrases work ONLY with 经历（jīnglì):

• 亲身～过
• ～过
• ～了

Example Sentences

In the following sentences, ONLY 经历（jīnglì) can be used: