回忆
Traditional: 回憶
huí yì HSK 4

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

我回忆小时候的事。
Wǒ huíyì xiǎo shíhou de shì.
I recall things from childhood.
她回忆那次旅行。
Tā huíyì nà cì lǚxíng.
She reminisces about that trip.
回忆让人快乐。
Huíyì ràng rén kuàilè.
Recalling makes people happy.
我回忆过去。
Wǒ huíyì guòqù.
I recall the past.
她回忆童年。
Tā huíyì tóngnián.
She reminisces about childhood.

💡 Memory Tip

Break the characters down: 回 (huí) means 'to return' or 'back,' and 忆 (yì) is related to 'remembering' or 'recollection.' So, 回忆 is like 'returning to remember'—taking your mind back to the past.

📝 Usage Notes

It is neutral in register, suitable for both spoken and written Chinese. It is commonly used in narratives, personal stories, and reflective contexts. It often carries a slightly emotional or sentimental tone, unlike more neutral terms for 'remember.'

📖 Grammar Points

Often followed by a noun phrase or clause as its object (e.g., 回忆过去,回忆那段时光). Can be used with aspect particles like 着, 了, 过 (e.g., 回忆着,回忆了). Frequently appears in the pattern '回忆起来' to mean 'recall to mind.'

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, sharing 回忆, especially about family, childhood, or historical events, is a common way to bond and convey values. It is a frequent theme in literature and film, emphasizing reflection on the past and its connection to the present.

🔄 Similar Words

Compared to 记得 (jìde, 'to remember' a fact), 回忆 focuses on the process of reminiscing about past experiences. Compared to 记忆 (jìyì, 'memory' as a noun or 'to memorize'), 回忆 is the active verb for recalling those memories.

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