rìjìběn: 日记本 - Diary, Journal

• Keywords: 日记本, rìjìběn, Chinese for diary, journal in Chinese, Chinese notebook, writing a diary in Chinese, what is a rìjìběn, learning Chinese vocabulary, 日记, HSK vocabulary
• Summary: Learn how to say “diary” or “journal” in Chinese with the word 日记本 (rìjìběn). This page breaks down the characters 日 (day), 记 (record), and 本 (book) to show you how this practical term is formed. Discover the cultural significance of diary-keeping in China, from a student's tool for practicing writing to its modern evolution into digital blogs, and learn how to use 日记本 in everyday conversation with 10 practical example sentences.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): rìjìběn (rì jì běn)
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 3 (The component word 日记 (rìjì) is HSK 3)
• Concise Definition: A diary; a physical book used for keeping a daily record of events, thoughts, or feelings.
• In a Nutshell: 日记本 (rìjìběn) is a very literal and tangible word. It doesn't just mean the abstract idea of a diary, but specifically the physical book you write in. Think of it as “daily-record-book”. If you want to buy a diary at a stationery store in China, this is the exact word you would use.

• 日 (rì): This character originally depicted the sun. It has come to mean “sun,” “day,” or “daily.”
• 记 (jì): This character means “to record” or “to remember.” The left part, 言 (yán), is the radical for “speech” or “words.” The right part, 己 (jǐ), means “oneself.” So, you can think of it as recording one's own words.
• 本 (běn): This character originally showed a tree with its roots marked, meaning “root” or “origin.” Because early books were bound collections of wood or paper (from trees), it also came to mean “book” or “notebook.”

Putting them together, 日 (daily) + 记 (record) + 本 (book) creates the logical and straightforward meaning: “daily record book”, or a diary.

In China, keeping a diary (写日记 - xiě rìjì) is a common practice, especially for students. It's often encouraged by teachers as an excellent way to improve writing skills, practice new vocabulary, and develop a habit of self-reflection. This contrasts slightly with the Western “Dear Diary” concept, which is often portrayed as a highly private, secret-filled book for venting emotions. While Chinese diaries can certainly be private, their function as an educational tool is more pronounced. For instance, a teacher might assign “write a diary entry about your weekend” as homework. Furthermore, diaries have sometimes played a more public, moral role in Chinese society. The most famous example is the “Diary of Lei Feng” (《雷锋日记》), a soldier celebrated as a selfless and modest role model. His diary was published and promoted nationwide as a tool for moral and political education, an idea quite different from the Western ideal of a diary as a bastion of private thought. Today, however, the 日记本 is primarily seen as a personal item for self-expression, similar to its Western counterpart.

日记本 (rìjìběn) is a common, everyday noun. You'll hear it used in contexts related to school, personal hobbies, and shopping for stationery.

• In Daily Conversation: People use it to talk about their own diary, a child's diary, or one they saw in a store. It's an informal, neutral term.
• In Stationery Stores (文具店 - wénjùdiàn): This is the specific term you would use to ask for a diary. You might see many kinds, from simple notebooks to elaborately decorated ones.
• Digital vs. Physical: While the act of diary-keeping (写日记 - xiě rìjì) has largely moved online to blogs (博客 - bókè) or social media, the physical 日记本 remains popular. Many people enjoy the tangible act of writing, and it is a very common gift for young people. The rise of 手帐 (shǒuzhàng), a more elaborate planner/journal, has also revitalized the culture of using physical notebooks for daily records.

• Example 1:
  • 我想买一个新的日记本来练习写中文。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎng mǎi yí ge xīn de rìjìběn lái liànxí xiě Zhōngwén.
  • English: I want to buy a new diary to practice writing Chinese.
  • Analysis: This shows a very common and practical use case for a language learner.
• Example 2:
  • 妈妈给我买了一个很漂亮的日记本作为生日礼物。
  • Pinyin: Māma gěi wǒ mǎi le yí ge hěn piàoliang de rìjìběn zuòwéi shēngrì lǐwù.
  • English: Mom bought me a very beautiful journal as a birthday present.
  • Analysis: A 日记本 is a common gift, especially for children and teenagers.
• Example 3:
  • 请不要看我的日记本，里面有我的秘密。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng búyào kàn wǒ de rìjìběn, lǐmiàn yǒu wǒ de mìmì.
  • English: Please don't look at my diary, it has my secrets inside.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the private nature of a diary. Note the use of 看 (kàn), meaning “to look at” or “to read”.
• Example 4:
  • 他把旧日记本放在一个锁着的盒子里。
  • Pinyin: Tā bǎ jiù rìjìběn fàng zài yí ge suǒzhe de hézi lǐ.
  • English: He keeps his old diaries in a locked box.
  • Analysis: The particle 把 (bǎ) is used here to emphasize what is being done to the object (the diary).
• Example 5:
  • 这个日记本的封面设计很简单。
  • Pinyin: Zhè ge rìjìběn de fēngmiàn shèjì hěn jiǎndān.
  • English: The cover design of this journal is very simple.
  • Analysis: A useful sentence for when you are shopping for stationery (文具 - wénjù).
• Example 6:
  • 我每天晚上都会在日记本里写几句话。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ měi tiān wǎnshang dōu huì zài rìjìběn lǐ xiě jǐ jù huà.
  • English: Every evening, I write a few sentences in my diary.
  • Analysis: This describes the habit of keeping a diary. Note the use of 在…里 (zài…lǐ), meaning “inside…”.
• Example 7:
  • 我找不到我的日记本了，真着急！
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zhǎo bu dào wǒ de rìjìběn le, zhēn zhāojí!
  • English: I can't find my diary, I'm so anxious!
  • Analysis: 找不到 (zhǎo bu dào) is a resultative complement indicating the inability to find something.
• Example 8:
  • 老师让我们用日记本记录每天的天气。
  • Pinyin: Lǎoshī ràng wǒmen yòng rìjìběn jìlù měi tiān de tiānqì.
  • English: The teacher had us use a diary to record the daily weather.
  • Analysis: This shows the educational context of using a diary in a Chinese school.
• Example 9:
  • 这本旧日记本里满是回忆。
  • Pinyin: Zhè běn jiù rìjìběn lǐ mǎn shì huíyì.
  • English: This old journal is full of memories.
  • Analysis: The measure word for books, 本 (běn), is used here. 满是 (mǎn shì) means “is full of”.
• Example 10:
  • 日记本和笔记本有什么区别？
  • Pinyin: Rìjìběn hé bǐjìběn yǒu shénme qūbié?
  • English: What's the difference between a diary and a notebook?
  • Analysis: A great question that directly addresses a common point of confusion for learners (see below).

The most common mistake for learners is confusing 日记本 (rìjìběn) with 日记 (rìjì).

• 日记本 (rìjìběn): This refers to the physical object—the book, the journal.
• 日记 (rìjì): This refers to the content—the diary entry itself, the text you write, or the abstract concept of a diary.

Think of it like this: You write a 日记 (rìjì) *in* your 日记本 (rìjìběn).

• Correct: 我把我的日记本弄丢了。(Wǒ bǎ wǒ de rìjìběn nòng diū le.) - I lost my diary (the book).
• Incorrect: 我把我的日记弄丢了。 (This would imply you lost the text/entry, maybe a digital file, which is less common to say.)
• Correct: 我今天写了一篇日记。(Wǒ jīntiān xiě le yì piān rìjì.) - I wrote a diary entry today. (篇 piān is the measure word for articles/entries).
• Incorrect: 我今天写了一个日记本。(This would mean “I wrote an entire diary book,” which is illogical).

Another point of confusion is with 笔记本 (bǐjìběn).

• 日记本 (rìjìběn): A diary/journal. It is a specific type of notebook for daily records.
• 笔记本 (bǐjìběn): A general notebook for any purpose (taking notes in class, doodling, etc.). It can also mean “laptop computer.”

So, a 日记本 is a type of 笔记本, but not all 笔记本 are 日记本.

• 日记 (rìjì) - The diary entry, the content you write, or the concept of a diary.
• 写日记 (xiě rìjì) - The verb phrase “to write a diary.”
• 笔记本 (bǐjìběn) - A general-purpose notebook. Can also mean “laptop.”
• 手帐 (shǒuzhàng) - A planner or journal, often highly decorated. The term is borrowed from Japanese and is very popular among young people in China.
• 秘密 (mìmì) - A secret. Diaries are often thought to contain secrets.
• 隐私 (yǐnsī) - Privacy. The contents of a 日记本 are considered personal privacy.
• 文具 (wénjù) - Stationery. The category of goods that includes diaries, pens, etc.
• 博客 (bókè) - A blog. The modern, public, digital equivalent of keeping a diary.
• 记录 (jìlù) - To record (verb); a record (noun). The core action associated with a diary.
• 回忆 (huíyì) - A memory. Diaries are often filled with memories.