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追忆 (zhuī yì) — to recollect, to recall (usually with a sense of nostalgia or melancholy, about past events or people)

Definition

A literary verb meaning to recollect or recall the past, with a tone of nostalgia or melancholy. Stronger and more formal than the everyday 回忆, and is common in writing rather than daily speech.

verb
to recollectto recall (usually with a sense of nostalgia or melancholy, about past events or people)

Examples

  • 追忆。
    Tā cháng cháng zhuī yì tóng nián de kuài lè shí guāng.
    He often recalls the happy times of his childhood.
  • ，追忆。
    Zài zhè piān wén zhāng lǐ, zuò zhě zhuī yì le gù xiāng de qīn yǒu.
    In this essay, the author recollects the relatives and friends from his hometown.
  • 追忆。
    Jì niàn guǎn lǐ chén liè de lǎo zhào piàn ràng rén zhuī yì qǐ nà duàn lì shǐ.
    The old photographs displayed in the memorial hall make people recollect that period of history.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

追zhuīseek out
忆yìremember

追 suggests seeking out the past, and 忆 means remembering, so it conveys recalling past events.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòmovement
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠂤
𠂤𠂤追zhuī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The 辶 part shows movement, while 𠂤 gives the sound, for the sense of moving after or pursuing.

Open 追 →

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
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 →
Appears in
Thinking & Cognition

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