====== jìlù: 记录 - To Record, A Record, Log ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** 记录, jilu, Chinese word for record, take notes in Chinese, log, minutes, Chinese verb to record, Chinese noun a record, 记, 录, HSK 4
  * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese word **记录 (jìlù)**, which means both the action "to record" and the noun "a record" or "log." This page breaks down how to use **记录 (jìlù)** in various contexts, from taking meeting minutes and logging daily exercise to understanding historical accounts and official records. Discover its cultural importance and avoid common mistakes for English-speaking learners.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** jìlù
  * **Part of Speech:** Verb, Noun
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 4
  * **Concise Definition:** To write down or capture information (verb); the information that has been written down or captured (noun).
  * **In a Nutshell:** Think of **记录 (jìlù)** as the fundamental concept of creating a trace or account of something. It can be as simple as jotting down a phone number or as formal as creating a legal document. It's the bridge between an event happening and having proof or memory of it later. Whether you're tracking your workout, taking notes in a business meeting, or describing a historical document, **记录 (jìlù)** is the word you need.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **记 (jì):** This character means "to remember," "to mark," or "to write down." It's composed of the "speech" radical **言 (yán)** on the left and a phonetic component **己 (jǐ)** on the right. You can think of it as "to use speech (or writing) to make a mark on one's memory."
  * **录 (lù):** This character means "to record," "to copy," or "to write down," and is often associated with more technical or systematic recording (like audio or video).
  * Together, **记录 (jìlù)** literally means "to remember and record" or "to write down a recording." The combination reinforces the idea of creating a formal, lasting account of information or events.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
In Chinese culture, there is a profound, historically-rooted respect for the act of recording. From the earliest oracle bones used for divination to the monumental //Records of the Grand Historian// (**《史记》- Shǐjì**), keeping detailed records has been central to governance, history, and cultural identity. To **记录 (jìlù)** an event was to give it weight, legitimacy, and a place in history.
This contrasts with the more casual, multifaceted use of "record" in English. When an English speaker says "record," they could mean a vinyl record (**唱片 - chàngpiàn**), a personal best in sports (**纪录 - jìlù**, but often as part of a compound like **世界纪录 - shìjiè jìlù**), or an official file. **记录 (jìlù)** in Chinese is more specifically focused on the //act of logging information// and the //resulting log itself//. This value for documentation is visible today in the meticulous nature of business meeting minutes, the importance placed on official documents, and even the digital "paper trails" like chat histories (**聊天记录 - liáotiān jìlù**).
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
**记录 (jìlù)** is an incredibly versatile word used in daily life, technology, and formal settings.
  * **Formal/Business:** In an office, you will be asked to **做会议记录 (zuò huìyì jìlù)**, which means "to take meeting minutes." The final document is also called the **会议记录**.
  * **Technology/Digital:** Your phone's call log is **通话记录 (tōnghuà jìlù)**. Your web browser history is **浏览记录 (liúlǎn jìlù)**. Many apps use **记录** to describe logging activities, like fitness or food intake.
  * **Personal Life:** You can **记录生活 (jìlù shēnghuó)**, meaning "to document your life," often through a journal, blog, or photos.
  * **Official Records:** This is used for all kinds of official logs, such as a **犯罪记录 (fànzuì jìlù)** (criminal record) or **医疗记录 (yīliáo jìlù)** (medical records).
  * **As a Verb vs. Noun:** The context makes it clear. If it follows a subject like "I" or "he," it's usually a verb: **我记录 (wǒ jìlù)** - "I record." If it's preceded by a measure word like **一份 (yī fèn)** or has an adjective before it, it's a noun: **一份详细的记录 (yī fèn xiángxì de jìlù)** - "a detailed record."
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:** (As a verb, taking minutes)
    * 请把这次会议的要点**记录**下来。
    * Pinyin: Qǐng bǎ zhè cì huìyì de yàodiǎn **jìlù** xiàlái.
    * English: Please record the main points of this meeting.
    * Analysis: A very common and practical phrase in a business context. **下来 (xiàlái)** is a resultative complement indicating the completion of the recording action.
  * **Example 2:** (As a noun, sales record)
    * 这是我们公司上个月的销售**记录**。
    * Pinyin: Zhè shì wǒmen gōngsī shàng gè yuè de xiāoshòu **jìlù**.
    * English: This is our company's sales record from last month.
    * Analysis: Here, **记录** functions as a noun, meaning the log or report of sales figures.
  * **Example 3:** (In sports, as part of a compound noun)
    * 她打破了世界**纪录**。
    * Pinyin: Tā dǎpòle shìjiè **jìlù**.
    * English: She broke the world record.
    * Analysis: While **记录** alone doesn't mean "sports record," it's the core of the compound noun **世界纪录 (shìjiè jìlù)**, which does. **打破 (dǎpò)** means "to break."
  * **Example 4:** (Using an app)
    * 这个App可以**记录**你每天跑了多少步。
    * Pinyin: Zhège App kěyǐ **jìlù** nǐ měitiān pǎole duōshǎo bù.
    * English: This app can record how many steps you run every day.
    * Analysis: This shows the modern, digital usage of **记录** for logging data.
  * **Example 5:** (As a noun, official records)
    * 申请这个职位需要无犯罪**记录**证明。
    * Pinyin: Shēnqǐng zhège zhíwèi xūyào wú fànzuì **jìlù** zhèngmíng.
    * English: Applying for this position requires proof of a clean criminal record.
    * Analysis: **犯罪记录 (fànzuì jìlù)** is a set phrase for "criminal record."
  * **Example 6:** (Journaling or documenting life)
    * 我喜欢用相机**记录**生活中的美好瞬间。
    * Pinyin: Wǒ xǐhuān yòng xiàngjī **jìlù** shēnghuó zhōng de měihǎo shùnjiān.
    * English: I like to use a camera to record the beautiful moments in life.
    * Analysis: This shows a more personal and artistic use of the verb **记录**.
  * **Example 7:** (Failing to record)
    * 他说得太快了，很多重要的细节我都没**记录**下来。
    * Pinyin: Tā shuō de tài kuàile, hěnduō zhòngyào de xìjié wǒ dōu méi **jìlù** xiàlái.
    * English: He spoke too fast, I didn't manage to record many important details.
    * Analysis: **没 (méi)** is used to negate the past action of recording.
  * **Example 8:** (As a noun, a log)
    * 警察正在查看酒店的访客**记录**。
    * Pinyin: Jǐngchá zhèngzài chákàn jiǔdiàn de fǎngkè **jìlù**.
    * English: The police are checking the hotel's visitor log.
    * Analysis: **访客记录 (fǎngkè jìlù)** is a clear example of **记录** as a "log."
  * **Example 9:** (Historical context)
    * 这本书**记录**了一位士兵在战争中的经历。
    * Pinyin: Zhè běn shū **jìlù** le yī wèi shìbīng zài zhànzhēng zhōng de jīnglì.
    * English: This book records the experiences of a soldier during the war.
    * Analysis: Here, **记录** takes on the meaning of "to chronicle" or "to document" historical events.
  * **Example 10:** (As a noun, the person responsible)
    * 今天的会议谁是**记录**？
    * Pinyin: Jīntiān de huìyì shéi shì **jìlù**?
    * English: Who is the minute-taker for today's meeting?
    * Analysis: In an informal context, **记录** can be used as a shorthand to refer to the person responsible for taking the records, the **记录员 (jìlùyuán)**.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **记录 (jìlù) vs. 笔记 (bǐjì):** This is a key distinction.
    * **记录 (jìlù)** is often more objective, formal, or for the purpose of creating a complete log. Think of meeting minutes, a ship's log, or a call history.
    * **[[笔记]] (bǐjì)** means "notes." It's what you take in class to help yourself understand and remember. It's personal and often messy.
    * //Incorrect:// 我在上课的时候做了一个详细的**记录**。 (Wǒ zài shàngkè de shíhòu zuòle yīgè xiángxì de jìlù.)
    * //Correct:// 我在上课的时候做了详细的**笔记**。 (Wǒ zài shàngkè de shíhòu zuòle xiángxì de bǐjì.)
  * **"Record" (music) is not 记录:** Do not use **记录** to refer to a vinyl record or a music album.
    * //Incorrect:// 我喜欢听老的**记录**。
    * //Correct:// 我喜欢听老的**唱片 (chàngpiàn)**。
  * **"Record" (sports) requires a modifier:** By itself, **记录** is not a sports record. You need to specify what kind of record it is.
    * //Incorrect:// 他打破了一个**记录**。 (Ambiguous)
    * //Correct:// 他打破了**校运会纪录 (xiào yùnhuì jìlù)**。 (He broke the school sports meet record.)
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * **[[笔记]] (bǐjì)** - Personal notes, as taken in a class or lecture. Less formal than `记录`.
  * **[[日记]] (rìjì)** - A diary or journal. A specific type of personal `记录`.
  * **[[记载]] (jìzǎi)** - To record or chronicle, usually in a formal, historical, or literary context.
  * **[[录音]] (lùyīn)** - To record audio; an audio recording. Focuses on the medium of sound.
  * **[[录像]] (lùxiàng)** - To record video; a video recording. Focuses on the medium of video.
  * **[[登记]] (dēngjì)** - To register, to check in, to enter information into a registry (e.g., at a hotel or for an event).
  * **[[档案]] (dǎng'àn)** - An archive, a file, a dossier. Refers to the collection of official records.
  * **[[历史]] (lìshǐ)** - History. The grandest and most comprehensive form of a collective record.
  * **[[日志]] (rìzhì)** - A log or logbook (e.g., a computer system log, a ship's log). Very similar to `记录` but often more technical or systematic.