覚える

• Reading: おぼえる
• Romaji: oboeru
• Kanji breakdown: 覚 (kaku/obo/sa) — remember, learn, awaken
• Pronunciation: /o.bo.e.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To memorise; to learn by heart; to remember. Essential for describing the act of committing something to memory.

A Group 2 (ichidan) transitive verb. Has two main senses: (1) to memorise/learn (新しい漢字を覚える) and (2) to recall/remember (顔を覚えている). Often confused with 思い出す (omoidasu), which means 'to recall' a forgotten memory, while 覚えている means the memory is still retained.

Examples

1. 毎日漢字を十個覚えます。 I memorize ten kanji every day.
2. この歌の歌詞を覚えましたか。 Have you memorized the lyrics to this song?
3. 新しい言葉を覚えるのは楽しいです。 Learning new words is fun.

Usage Guide

Context: studying, daily life, language learning

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 覚 combines elements suggesting 'to learn' and 'to see,' conveying the idea of perceiving and retaining knowledge. In Buddhist texts, it also carries the meaning of 'awakening.'

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal