diff --git a/Doc/library/pathlib.rst b/Doc/library/pathlib.rst
index 708a16e6bc8c94..257ac5cda8edc6 100644
--- a/Doc/library/pathlib.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/pathlib.rst
@@ -298,6 +298,25 @@ property:
 
    (note how the drive and local root are regrouped in a single part)
 
+To access the arguments given to the path initializer, use the following
+property:
+
+.. attribute:: PurePath.segments
+
+   A tuple of giving access to the path's initializer arguments::
+
+      >>> p = PurePath('/usr', 'bin/python3')
+      >>> p.segments
+      ('/usr', 'bin/python3')
+
+      >>> p = PurePath('/usr', PurePath('bin', 'python3'))
+      >>> p.segments
+      ('/usr', 'bin', 'python3')
+
+   (note how nested path objects have their segments merged)
+
+   .. versionadded:: next
+
 
 Methods and properties
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
diff --git a/Doc/whatsnew/3.14.rst b/Doc/whatsnew/3.14.rst
index ac5b53ef94bfb1..d413ae180eefd9 100644
--- a/Doc/whatsnew/3.14.rst
+++ b/Doc/whatsnew/3.14.rst
@@ -812,6 +812,11 @@ os
 pathlib
 -------
 
+* Add :meth:`pathlib.PurePath.segments` attribute that stores the original
+  arguments given to the path object initializer.
+
+  (Contributed by Barney Gale in :gh:`131916`.)
+
 * Add methods to :class:`pathlib.Path` to recursively copy or move files and
   directories:
 
diff --git a/Lib/pathlib/__init__.py b/Lib/pathlib/__init__.py
index cd28f62ce3baf5..b42333ece22cb4 100644
--- a/Lib/pathlib/__init__.py
+++ b/Lib/pathlib/__init__.py
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ def __rtruediv__(self, key):
             return NotImplemented
 
     def __reduce__(self):
-        return self.__class__, tuple(self._raw_paths)
+        return self.__class__, self.segments
 
     def __repr__(self):
         return "{}({!r})".format(self.__class__.__name__, self.as_posix())
@@ -327,20 +327,20 @@ def as_posix(self):
         slashes."""
         return str(self).replace(self.parser.sep, '/')
 
+    @property
+    def segments(self):
+        """Sequence of raw path segments supplied to the path initializer.
+        """
+        return tuple(self._raw_paths)
+
     @property
     def _raw_path(self):
         paths = self._raw_paths
         if len(paths) == 1:
             return paths[0]
         elif paths:
-            # Join path segments from the initializer.
-            path = self.parser.join(*paths)
-            # Cache the joined path.
-            paths.clear()
-            paths.append(path)
-            return path
+            return self.parser.join(*paths)
         else:
-            paths.append('')
             return ''
 
     @property
diff --git a/Lib/pathlib/types.py b/Lib/pathlib/types.py
index d1bb8701b887c8..e8b2954ebb7f3c 100644
--- a/Lib/pathlib/types.py
+++ b/Lib/pathlib/types.py
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ class _PathParser(Protocol):
 
     sep: str
     altsep: Optional[str]
+    def join(self, path: str, *paths: str) -> str: ...
     def split(self, path: str) -> tuple[str, str]: ...
     def splitext(self, path: str) -> tuple[str, str]: ...
     def normcase(self, path: str) -> str: ...
@@ -76,6 +77,13 @@ def parser(self):
         """
         raise NotImplementedError
 
+    @property
+    @abstractmethod
+    def segments(self):
+        """Sequence of raw path segments supplied to the path initializer.
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
     @abstractmethod
     def with_segments(self, *pathsegments):
         """Construct a new path object from any number of path-like objects.
@@ -84,11 +92,11 @@ def with_segments(self, *pathsegments):
         """
         raise NotImplementedError
 
-    @abstractmethod
     def __str__(self):
-        """Return the string representation of the path, suitable for
-        passing to system calls."""
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        """Return the string representation of the path."""
+        if not self.segments:
+            return ''
+        return self.parser.join(*self.segments)
 
     @property
     def anchor(self):
@@ -178,17 +186,17 @@ def joinpath(self, *pathsegments):
         paths) or a totally different path (if one of the arguments is
         anchored).
         """
-        return self.with_segments(str(self), *pathsegments)
+        return self.with_segments(*self.segments, *pathsegments)
 
     def __truediv__(self, key):
         try:
-            return self.with_segments(str(self), key)
+            return self.with_segments(*self.segments, key)
         except TypeError:
             return NotImplemented
 
     def __rtruediv__(self, key):
         try:
-            return self.with_segments(key, str(self))
+            return self.with_segments(key, *self.segments)
         except TypeError:
             return NotImplemented
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_pathlib/support/lexical_path.py b/Lib/test/test_pathlib/support/lexical_path.py
index f29a521af9b013..a3d6f0e1a6ff82 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_pathlib/support/lexical_path.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_pathlib/support/lexical_path.py
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@
 
 
 class LexicalPath(_JoinablePath):
-    __slots__ = ('_segments',)
+    __slots__ = ('segments',)
     parser = os.path
 
     def __init__(self, *pathsegments):
-        self._segments = pathsegments
+        self.segments = pathsegments
 
     def __hash__(self):
         return hash(str(self))
@@ -29,11 +29,6 @@ def __eq__(self, other):
             return NotImplemented
         return str(self) == str(other)
 
-    def __str__(self):
-        if not self._segments:
-            return ''
-        return self.parser.join(*self._segments)
-
     def __repr__(self):
         return f'{type(self).__name__}({str(self)!r})'
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_pathlib/support/zip_path.py b/Lib/test/test_pathlib/support/zip_path.py
index 242cab1509627b..e065b712b7031f 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_pathlib/support/zip_path.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_pathlib/support/zip_path.py
@@ -230,11 +230,11 @@ class ReadableZipPath(_ReadablePath):
     Simple implementation of a ReadablePath class for .zip files.
     """
 
-    __slots__ = ('_segments', 'zip_file')
+    __slots__ = ('segments', 'zip_file')
     parser = posixpath
 
     def __init__(self, *pathsegments, zip_file):
-        self._segments = pathsegments
+        self.segments = pathsegments
         self.zip_file = zip_file
         if not isinstance(zip_file.filelist, ZipFileList):
             zip_file.filelist = ZipFileList(zip_file)
@@ -247,11 +247,6 @@ def __eq__(self, other):
             return NotImplemented
         return str(self) == str(other) and self.zip_file is other.zip_file
 
-    def __str__(self):
-        if not self._segments:
-            return ''
-        return self.parser.join(*self._segments)
-
     def __repr__(self):
         return f'{type(self).__name__}({str(self)!r}, zip_file={self.zip_file!r})'
 
@@ -293,11 +288,11 @@ class WritableZipPath(_WritablePath):
     Simple implementation of a WritablePath class for .zip files.
     """
 
-    __slots__ = ('_segments', 'zip_file')
+    __slots__ = ('segments', 'zip_file')
     parser = posixpath
 
     def __init__(self, *pathsegments, zip_file):
-        self._segments = pathsegments
+        self.segments = pathsegments
         self.zip_file = zip_file
 
     def __hash__(self):
@@ -308,11 +303,6 @@ def __eq__(self, other):
             return NotImplemented
         return str(self) == str(other) and self.zip_file is other.zip_file
 
-    def __str__(self):
-        if not self._segments:
-            return ''
-        return self.parser.join(*self._segments)
-
     def __repr__(self):
         return f'{type(self).__name__}({str(self)!r}, zip_file={self.zip_file!r})'
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_pathlib/test_join.py b/Lib/test/test_pathlib/test_join.py
index f1a24204b4c30a..3a63eec7ec81d3 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_pathlib/test_join.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_pathlib/test_join.py
@@ -31,6 +31,14 @@ def test_constructor(self):
         P('a/b/c')
         P('/a/b/c')
 
+    def test_segments(self):
+        P = self.cls
+        self.assertEqual(P().segments, ())
+        self.assertEqual(P('a', 'b', 'c').segments, ('a', 'b', 'c'))
+        self.assertEqual(P('/a', 'b', 'c').segments, ('/a', 'b', 'c'))
+        self.assertEqual(P('a/b/c').segments, ('a/b/c',))
+        self.assertEqual(P('/a/b/c').segments, ('/a/b/c',))
+
     def test_with_segments(self):
         class P(self.cls):
             def __init__(self, *pathsegments, session_id):
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_pathlib/test_pathlib.py b/Lib/test/test_pathlib/test_pathlib.py
index b1fcc5f6f0538e..7317dcb7fb1029 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_pathlib/test_pathlib.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_pathlib/test_pathlib.py
@@ -256,6 +256,15 @@ def test_parse_path_common(self):
         check('a/./.',    '', '', ['a'])
         check('/a/b',     '', sep, ['a', 'b'])
 
+    def test_segments_nested(self):
+        P = self.cls
+        P(FakePath("a/b/c"))
+        self.assertEqual(P(P('a')).segments, ('a',))
+        self.assertEqual(P(P('a'), 'b').segments, ('a', 'b'))
+        self.assertEqual(P(P('a'), P('b')).segments, ('a', 'b'))
+        self.assertEqual(P(P('a'), P('b'), P('c')).segments, ('a', 'b', 'c'))
+        self.assertEqual(P(P('./a:b')).segments, ('./a:b',))
+
     def test_empty_path(self):
         # The empty path points to '.'
         p = self.cls('')
@@ -1177,17 +1186,6 @@ def tempdir(self):
         self.addCleanup(os_helper.rmtree, d)
         return d
 
-    def test_matches_writablepath_docstrings(self):
-        path_names = {name for name in dir(pathlib.types._WritablePath) if name[0] != '_'}
-        for attr_name in path_names:
-            if attr_name == 'parser':
-                # On Windows, Path.parser is ntpath, but WritablePath.parser is
-                # posixpath, and so their docstrings differ.
-                continue
-            our_attr = getattr(self.cls, attr_name)
-            path_attr = getattr(pathlib.types._WritablePath, attr_name)
-            self.assertEqual(our_attr.__doc__, path_attr.__doc__)
-
     def test_concrete_class(self):
         if self.cls is pathlib.Path:
             expected = pathlib.WindowsPath if os.name == 'nt' else pathlib.PosixPath
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2025-03-30-20-25-58.gh-issue-131916.p8bRiF.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2025-03-30-20-25-58.gh-issue-131916.p8bRiF.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..0229c13dc9c8c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2025-03-30-20-25-58.gh-issue-131916.p8bRiF.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Add :attr:`pathlib.PurePath.segments`, which stores the flattened path
+segments given to the path object initializer.