记 is a Chinese character with HSK 2 on the new exam.
Etymology
Oracle-bone origin
记 (traditional 記) does not appear in oracle bone script and is a phono-semantic compound that stabilised in the Warring States or Qin period. It combines 言 (speech) as the semantic element with 己 (self, originally a pictograph of a cord or thread used for binding or counting) as the phonetic. The meaning 'to record' ties naturally to 言, since records were originally spoken or recited.
Form evolution
In seal script the form shows 言 on the left with 己 on the right, both clearly preserved. Clerical script squared off 言 and straightened the curves of 己 into three strokes. The 1956 simplification reduced 言 to 讠 on the left, giving the modern five-stroke 记; the right side 己 was already simple and was not changed.
How the meaning evolved
The earliest meaning was 'to record in writing or speech', which fed directly into noun uses for written accounts (日记 diary, 传记 biography). From external recording it extended to internal recording, namely memory (记得 to remember, 记忆 memory). A further extension produced 'mark' or 'stamp' (标记 mark, 印记 imprint), all preserving the core idea of something fixed in place for later reference.
Cultural note
史记 Shǐjì (Records of the Grand Historian) by Sima Qian is the foundational Chinese historical work and the reason 记 became the standard suffix for any sustained written record. Learners should note that 记得 (to remember) and 想起 (to recall, suddenly bring to mind) are not interchangeable: 记得 is the standing state, 想起 is the retrieval event.
Basic info
| New HSK exam | Recognise at HSK 2 |
| Frequency | #126 most common |
Example sentences
Words containing 记
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | HSK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 忘记 | wàngjì | forget | HSK 3 |
| 笔记本 | bǐjìběn | notebook | HSK 3 |
| 记得 | jìde | remember | HSK 2 |
| 记者 | jìzhě | Reporter | HSK 4 |
| 日记 | rìjì | diary | HSK 4 |
| 登记 | dēngjì | register | HSK 5 |
| 记忆 | jìyì | memory | HSK 5 |
| 记录 | jìlù | Record | HSK 5 |
| 笔记 | bǐjì | notes, to take notes | HSK 3 |
| 标记 | biāojì | sign, mark | HSK 7-9 |
| 传记 | zhuànjì | biography | HSK 7-9 |
| 惦记 | diànjì | to think of, to keep thinking about | HSK 7-9 |
On the new HSK 2 exam
Studying for HSK 2? Keep 记 with the rest of your level.
HSK Lord schedules your reviews so each character comes back right before you would forget it. Free to start, and it picks up where you are.
Frequently Asked Questions
Appears in these articles
Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.