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记性 (jì xing) — memory (ability to retain information)

Definition

记性 is one's memory ABILITY as a trait ("good/bad memory") — usually appears with 好 or 差, unlike 记忆 which names the faculty or the act of remembering itself.

noun
memory (ability to retain information)

Examples

  • ，记性。
    Nián jì dà le, jì xing bù rú yǐ qián le.
    As I get older, my memory is not as good as before.
  • ，记性。
    Nǐ yào duō fù xí, jì xing cái huì hǎo.
    You need to review more for your memory to improve.
  • 记性，。
    Tā de jì xing tè bié hǎo, dú guò yí biàn jiù néng jì zhù.
    His memory is especially good; he can remember something after reading it once.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

记jìremember
性xìngnature

记 (“remember”) plus 性 gives the sense of an ability or quality, here the power 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.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
忄Written in full as心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
生
生shēng性xìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

性 is built from 忄 (the heart) and 生 (a sound clue). The heart part connects the word to a person's inner nature or quality.

Open 性 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Thinking & Cognition

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.