记

• Pinyin: jì
• Hanzi breakdown: 记 = 讠(speech) + 己 (self, phonetic) — to record words, hence to remember

Meaning

To remember; to record; to note down. Indicates the act of committing something to memory or writing it down.

Often used with complements: 记住 (remember firmly), 记得 (recall, remember). Can also mean to take notes or make a record. In HSK 1 context, mostly used in simple phrases about memory.

Examples

1. 你记一下我的电话号码。 Note down my phone number.
2. 这个字很难记。 This character is hard to remember.
3. 老师让我们记生词。 The teacher asked us to memorize new words.

Usage Guide

Context: study, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 请帮我记一下。(Please note it down for me.)
• 这个很重要，你要记好。(This is important, remember it well.)

Don't Say

• 我记了你。(Sounds threatening — to say 'I remember you' use 我记得你 or 我记住你了)

Origin & History

Left-right structure with 讠(speech radical) and 己 (self, also phonetic). Originally meant to record speech, later extended to mean remember.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal