想起 (xiǎng qǐ) — to recall, to think of, to remember (something… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

想起 (xiǎng qǐ) means something comes back into your mind spontaneously — you didn't try to remember, it just surfaced. Contrast with 记得 (jìde), which is the steady state of having something in memory.

verb

to recallto think ofto remember (something that comes to mind)

Examples

想起。
Wǒ xiǎng qǐ le nà jiàn shì.
I remembered that matter.
。
Wǒ zěn me yě xiǎng bù qǐ tā de míng zì.
No matter how I try, I can't recall his name.
想起？
Nǐ hái néng xiǎng qǐ wǒ men dì yī cì jiàn miàn de dì fāng ma?
Can you still remember the place where we first met?

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

想 means think and 起 means up, so the idea rises into mind, giving recall.

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.

相心想

Meaning part形符xíngfú

心心xīnheart, mind

Sound part声符shēngfú

相

相xiāng想xiǎng

Same sound today

想 has 心 (heart, mind) below 相 (to look at); the shape shows the mind looking at or considering something, and 相 also gives the sound.

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

走巳起

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

巳

巳sì起qǐ

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

起 is made from 走 and 巳: 走 is the part connected with walking or running, and 巳 gives the sound.

Appears in

Thinking & Cognition 2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words 3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words 5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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