Chinese word

纪念

Pronunciation

Pinyinjì niàn

Meaning

  • verbcommemorate

Example

我们去公园纪念那位英雄。wǒ men qù gōng yuán jì niàn nà wèi yīng xióng

We went to the park to commemorate that hero.

Illustration for 纪念 (commemorate)

More examples

她用照片来纪念奶奶。tā yòng zhào piān lái jì niàn nái nǎi

She used photos to commemorate her grandmother.

Core concept

Places someone or something important into lasting, respectful memory, where remembrance can include both honor and grief.

Common phrases

  • 举行纪念活动jǔ xíng jì niàn huó dòng

    hold commemorative activities

  • 纪念父亲jì niàn fù qīn

    commemorate one's father

Similar words

庆祝qìng zhù: Takes part in a joyful gathering or activity to mark a happy event or milestone.
想念xiǎng niàn: Thinks of someone with longing when that person is far away or has died.
记住jì zhù: Holds information or facts in the mind without forgetting them.

Definition in Chinese

为了表示对过去重要的人或事的记忆或敬意，通过举行仪式、制作纪念物或保留事迹来保存或表达这份记忆的动作或行为。wèi le biǎo shì duì guò qù zhòng yào de rén huò shì de jì yì huò jìng yì tōng guò jǔ xíng yí shì zhì zuò jì niàn wù huò bǎo liú shì jì lái bǎo cún huò biǎo dá zhè fèn jì yì de dòng zuò huò xíng wéi

Word origin

纪 (jì, "record") points to preserving an account, while 念 (niàn, "think of") points to holding someone or something in mind, which together form the idea of honoring the past.

Usage tips

  • In conversation, 纪念一下 (jìniàn yíxià, "mark the occasion") makes the act sound brief or informal, while formal contexts often name the event or date more explicitly.

Other meanings

  • commemorationnoun
  • mournverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word