县志 (xiàn zhì) literally means 'county record' — 县 refers to a county, the basic administrative division below the provincial level in China, and 志 means 'record', 'annals', or 'gazetteer'. Together, it denotes an official local historical record compiled by or for a specific county government, documenting geography, history, economy, culture, notable people, customs, and natural resources over time. These documents are typically compiled once every few decades and serve as vital primary sources for historians and researchers.

County gazetteers are part of China’s long tradition of local historiography dating back over two thousand years. They are usually published by local chronicle offices under government supervision and follow standardized formats. While not commonly used in daily conversation, 县志 appears frequently in academic, archival, and cultural preservation contexts — for example, when tracing family origins, studying regional development, or restoring historical sites. Modern editions often include both classical Chinese sections and contemporary vernacular summaries.