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备忘录 (bèi wàng lù) — memorandum; memo; a notebook or document used for reminders

Definition

备忘录 is a short written memo for reminders or workplace notes. Unlike 回忆录 (a personal memoir recalling past life events), it is brief and task-oriented.

noun
memorandummemoa notebook or document used for reminders
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 备忘录。
    Qǐng bǎ zhè fèn bèi wàng lù fā gěi měi gè tóng shì.
    Please send this memo to every colleague.
  • 备忘录。
    Wǒ zài bèi wàng lù shàng jì le míng tiān de ān pái.
    I wrote tomorrow's schedule in my memo book.
  • 备忘录。
    Shǒu jī shàng de bèi wàng lù néng bāng wǒ jì shì qing.
    The memo on my phone helps me remember things.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

备忘guard against forgetting
备bèiguard; prepare忘wàngforget
动宾Verb + object
录lùrecord

The first two parts mean to guard against forgetting, and the last part means record, together naming a memorandum.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 備; 备 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 備 shows a person carrying a quiver, matching the meaning 'ready; prepared'; the simplified 备 is a later abbreviation.

Open 备 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
亡
亡wáng忘wàng
Same sound today

忘 combines 亡, which gives the sound, with 心 (“heart”), showing the sense is about the heart or mind.

Open 忘 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 錄; 录 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
彔
彔lù錄lù
Same sound today

The traditional form 錄 combines 金 (metal) with 彔, which gives the sound; the simplified 录 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 录 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Reading & Writing

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