jì yì
recall; memory; storage
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遗忘 (yíwàng)
forget
健忘 (jiànwàng)
amnesia
The Chinese word 记忆 (jìyì) for "memory" is composed of two characters: 记 (jì) and 忆 (yì). The character 记 originally meant "to make a knot" or "to tie a rope". In ancient times, people would tie knots on ropes to help them remember things. Over time, the meaning of 记 expanded to include "to record" and "to memorize". The character 忆 originally meant "to think of" or "to recall". It is often used in conjunction with 记 to emphasize the act of remembering. Together, the two characters 记忆 form the word for "memory".
