记 meaning and stroke order
To record; to note; to memorize
How to write 记, stroke by stroke
5 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Meaning of 记
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to record
- to note
- to memorize
- to remember
- mark
- sign
How 记 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A private 己 note 讠; 己 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 讠 (words), shared by 144 characters on this site.
How to remember 记
The speech radical 讠 means words, and 己 (jǐ) means oneself. Words you keep for yourself are a note or a record, and 己 also hints at the sound jì.
记 (jì) is mostly used in words about remembering and recording, such as 记得 (jìde), 记住 (jìzhù), 笔记 (bǐjì) and 日记 (rìjì). Example: 我记得他的名字。(Wǒ jìde tā de míngzi.) I remember his name.
Common mistake: Learners often write the right side as 已 (yǐ, already) or 巳 (sì) instead of 己. In 己 the last stroke does not close the top gap at all. Also, 记 is fourth tone jì, while 己 alone is third tone jǐ.
Common words with 记
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 记得 | jìde | to remember | HSK 1 |
| 忘记 | wàngjì | to forget | HSK 1 |
| 记住 | jìzhù | to remember; to bear in mind | HSK 1 |
| 笔记 | bǐjì | to take down (in writing); notes | HSK 2 |
| 笔记本 | bǐjìběn | notebook (stationery) (CL:本[ben3]); (computing) laptop; notebook (abbr. for 筆記本電腦|笔记本电脑[bi | HSK 2 |
| 记录 | jìlù | to record; record (esp. a written account) | HSK 3 |
| 记者 | jìzhě | reporter; journalist | HSK 3 |
| 日记 | rìjì | diary | HSK 4 |
| 登记 | dēngjì | to register (one's name) | HSK 4 |
| 记载 | jìzǎi | to write down; to record | HSK 4 |
| 记忆 | jìyì | to remember; to recall; memory | HSK 5 |
| 记号 | jìhao | mark; symbol | HSK 7-9 |
| 铭记 | míngjì | to engrave in one's memory | HSK 7-9 |
| 牢记 | láojì | to keep in mind; to remember | HSK 7-9 |
记 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 记
How many strokes are in 记?
记 is written with 5 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 记 mean?
记 (jì) means to record; to note; to memorize. A common word with it is 记得 (jìde), meaning "to remember".
How do you pronounce 记?
记 is pronounced jì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 记?
The radical of 记 is 讠, which carries the idea of "words". Dictionaries list 记 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 记?
The traditional form of 记 is 記. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 记 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 记 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 记 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What is the difference between 记得 and 记住?
记得 (jìde) describes a state: you still remember something. 记住 (jìzhù) is about the act of fixing something in memory, so it is common in requests like 请记住 (qǐng jìzhù), please remember this.
Why does 记者 mean reporter?
者 (zhě) means a person who does something, so 记者 (jìzhě) is literally a person who records. It is the standard word for a journalist or reporter.