記

Phono-semantic compound:

言 (언, speech, words) — semantic component, indicating language and writing.

己 (기, oneself) — phonetic component, also hinting at something personally noted or remembered.

Together: “words + self (phonetic)” → to record words for oneself → to record, to remember.

記錄 (기록) — to record, record

記事 (기사) — news article, record of events

日記 (일기) — diary, daily record

記憶 (기억) — memory, recollection

筆記 (필기) — notes, jotting down

傳記 (전기) — biography

史記 (사기, Shǐjì) — “Records of the Grand Historian,” monumental Chinese historical text by Sima Qian (司馬遷), regarded as one of the foundational works of Chinese historiography.

The character 記 often conveys not just “recording” but also the authority of written documentation, making it common in titles of chronicles, annals, and registers.

In East Asian literature, the act of 記 (to record) often implies not only factual notation but also memory, interpretation, and legacy.

In Hong Kong and Cantonese usage, as a suffix (～記), it often denotes a shop name, business, or trademark (e.g. “Lee’s Restaurant” - 李記).