牢记

• Pinyin: láo jì
• Hanzi breakdown: 牢 = firm/prison; 记 = 讠(speech) + 己 (self) — remember

Meaning

To keep firmly in mind; to remember well. Committing something to memory.

Stronger than 记住 — implies something important that must not be forgotten. Often used for lessons, principles, warnings, or duties.

Examples

1. 牢记历史，不忘初心。 Remember history well and never forget your original aspirations.
2. 老师的教导我一直牢记在心。 I have always kept the teacher's guidance firmly in my heart.
3. 安全规定必须牢记。 Safety regulations must be firmly remembered.

Usage Guide

Context: education, warnings, principles

Tone: emphatic

Do Say

• 牢记使命，砥砺前行。(Keep the mission in mind and forge ahead.)
• 这个教训你要牢记。(You must remember this lesson well.)

Don't Say

• 用牢记描述记住琐碎的事情。(牢记 implies importance — use 记住 for casual remembering)

Origin & History

Compound of 牢 (firm/prison) + 记 (remember). To remember as securely as something locked in a prison.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal