记忆力 (jì yì lì) — memory; the ability to remember

Definition

noun

memorythe ability to remember

Examples

记忆力。
Tā de jì yì lì fēi cháng jīng rén.
His memory is amazing.
，记忆力。
Tā nián jì dà le, jì yì lì bù rú yǐ qián le.
She's old, and her memory is not as good as before.
记忆力。
Duō fù xí néng tí gāo jì yì lì.
Reviewing more can improve your memory.

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.

记忆memory

记jìremember忆yìremember

联合Coordinate

力lìability

记 and 忆 both mean remember, and 力 (power) makes the ability to remember.

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 記; 记 is its simplified writing.

言己記

Meaning part形符xíngfú

言言yánspeech; words

Sound part声符shēngfú

己

己jǐ記jì

Same sound today

The traditional form 記 pairs 言 (speech; words) with 己 as a sound part; the simplified 记 is a later shorthand, so its right side is not the historical component.

Open 记 →

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

忄乙忆

Meaning part形符xíngfú

忄Written in full as心xīnheart

Sound part声符shēngfú

乙

乙yǐ忆yì

Same sound today

忆 pairs 忄 (heart) with 乙 as a sound part, forming a character for remembering.

Open 忆 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.