jìcuòle: 记错了 - To remember incorrectly, To misremember
Quick Summary
Keywords: jìcuòle, jicuole, 记错了, remember incorrectly, misremember, I was mistaken, I remembered it wrong, my memory is wrong, Chinese for misremember, forgot vs misremember in Chinese.
Summary: Learn how to say “I remembered incorrectly” in Chinese with the essential phrase 记错了 (jìcuòle). This page breaks down its meaning, cultural context, and practical use in daily conversation. Discover the crucial difference between 记错了 (jìcuòle) and 忘了 (wàngle - to forget), and master its usage with 10 practical example sentences, making you sound more natural when correcting a small memory mistake.
Core Meaning
Pinyin (with tone marks): jì cuò le
Part of Speech: Verb Phrase
HSK Level: HSK 3
Concise Definition: To have remembered something incorrectly; to misremember.
In a Nutshell: 记错了 (jìcuòle) is the perfect phrase for admitting you had a memory of something, but that memory turned out to be wrong. It's a combination of “to remember” (记, jì), “wrong” (错, cuò), and the particle “了” (le) which indicates the action is complete. Think of it as the Chinese equivalent of saying, “Oops, my mistake, I thought it was…” or “Oh, I misremembered.”
Character Breakdown
记 (jì): To remember, to record, to note. This character is composed of the “speech” radical (言) and a phonetic component (己). You can think of it as using speech or your mind to “record” a memory.
错 (cuò): Wrong, mistaken, error. This character signifies that something is incorrect or erroneous.
了 (le): A common grammatical particle. Here, it functions as a modal particle indicating a completed action or a change of state. It tells you that the act of “remembering wrongly” has already happened.
Putting them together, 记 + 错 + 了 literally means “remembered-wrongly-completed,” a direct and clear way to express that you've misremembered a fact.
Cultural Context and Significance
While not a deep philosophical term, 记错了 (jìcuòle) plays an important role in daily social interactions, reflecting a value for humility and social harmony.
In Western cultures, admitting a mistake can sometimes feel like a bigger deal. However, in China, using 记错了 is a very common, low-stakes way to correct oneself. It's not a heavy apology; it's a simple, factual statement that defuses potential disagreement or confusion.
For example, if you insist a meeting is at 2 PM and your colleague shows you an email saying it's at 3 PM, saying “哦，我记错了” (Ō, wǒ jìcuòle - “Oh, I remembered it wrong”) is a smooth and polite way to concede the point. It avoids argument and gracefully accepts the correct information. It's a soft way to save face for everyone involved—you admit your error lightly, and the other person doesn't have to feel awkward about correcting you.
Practical Usage in Modern China
记错了 is an extremely common phrase used in all sorts of informal and semi-formal situations.
Informal Conversations: This is its most common habitat. You'll use it with friends, family, and classmates when talking about plans, times, names, or past events. It's the go-to phrase for any small memory slip.
Workplace Scenarios: It is perfectly acceptable in a professional context to correct a minor factual error. It shows you're accountable but doesn't require a formal apology. You might soften it further by adding “不好意思 (bùhǎoyìsi - excuse me/sorry)” at the beginning. For example: “不好意思，会议室的号码我记错了” (Bùhǎoyìsi, huìyìshì de hàomǎ wǒ jìcuòle - “Sorry, I remembered the conference room number incorrectly”).
Connotation: The connotation is neutral and factual. It can be slightly self-deprecating, but it's generally seen as a simple admission of a common human error.
Example Sentences
Example 1:
啊，我记错了，他的生日是明天，不是今天。
Pinyin: Ā, wǒ jìcuòle, tā de shēngrì shì míngtiān, búshì jīntiān.
English: Ah, I misremembered, his birthday is tomorrow, not today.
Analysis: A classic and very common use case—correcting a simple factual error about a date. The “啊 (ā)” expresses mild surprise at one's own mistake.
Example 2:
A: 我们不是约了七点吗？ (Wǒmen búshì yuēle qī diǎn ma? - Didn't we agree to meet at seven?)
B: 不好意思，我记错了，我以为是七点半。 (Bùhǎoyìsi, wǒ jìcuòle, wǒ yǐwéi shì qī diǎn bàn. - Sorry, I remembered incorrectly. I thought it was 7:30.)
Analysis: This dialogue shows how 记错了 is used to apologize for a misunderstanding based on a faulty memory.
Example 3:
我把你的名字记错了，真抱歉！
Pinyin: Wǒ bǎ nǐ de míngzì jìcuòle, zhēn bàoqiàn!
English: I remembered your name incorrectly, I'm so sorry!
Analysis: Here, the speaker uses “把 (bǎ)” to bring the object (“your name”) before the verb phrase. This is a common structure. Because getting a name wrong can be more sensitive, a stronger apology “真抱歉 (zhēn bàoqiàn)” is used.
Example 4:
他以为自己走对了，其实是把路记错了。
Pinyin: Tā yǐwéi zìjǐ zǒu duìle, qíshí shì bǎ lù jìcuòle.
English: He thought he went the right way, but actually he had misremembered the route.
Analysis: This shows the phrase being used to describe someone else's mistake. It's a statement of fact about why the person got lost.
Example 5:
你是不是记错了？我确定我们没见过面。
Pinyin: Nǐ shìbushì jìcuòle? Wǒ quèdìng wǒmen méi jiànguò miàn.
English: Are you sure you're not misremembering? I'm certain we've never met.
Analysis: This demonstrates how to politely question someone else's memory. “是不是 (shìbushì)” turns the statement into a gentle question.
Example 6:
我肯定我锁门了，难道是我记错了？
Pinyin: Wǒ kěndìng wǒ suǒménle, nándào shì wǒ jìcuòle?
English: I'm positive I locked the door… could it be that I'm remembering it wrong?
Analysis: “难道 (nándào)” is used to express disbelief or a rhetorical question, perfectly capturing the feeling of suddenly doubting your own memory.
Example 7:
电影不是八点开始吗？哦，看来是我记错了。
Pinyin: Diànyǐng búshì bā diǎn kāishǐ ma? Ō, kànlái shì wǒ jìcuòle.
English: Doesn't the movie start at 8? Oh, it seems I remembered incorrectly.
Analysis: “看来 (kànlái)” means “it seems” or “it looks like,” which softens the admission of being wrong.
Example 8:
对不起，我把价格记错了，这个是五十块，不是四十五。
Pinyin: Duìbuqǐ, wǒ bǎ jiàgé jìcuòle, zhège shì wǔshí kuài, búshì sìshíwǔ.
English: Sorry, I misremembered the price, this one is 50 kuai, not 45.
Analysis: A practical example that could be used by a shopkeeper or in any transactional situation.
Example 9:
我总是把他们的电话号码记错了，因为太像了。
Pinyin: Wǒ zǒngshì bǎ tāmen de diànhuà hàomǎ jìcuòle, yīnwèi tài xiàng le.
English: I always remember their phone numbers incorrectly because they are too similar.
Analysis: The adverb “总是 (zǒngshì - always)” shows that this is a recurring problem for the speaker.
Example 10:
如果我没记错的话，他应该是上海人。
Pinyin: Rúguǒ wǒ méi jìcuò dehuà, tā yīnggāi shì Shànghǎi rén.
English: If I remember correctly, he should be from Shanghai.
Analysis: This is a very useful related phrase. “如果我没记错的话 (rúguǒ wǒ méi jìcuò dehuà)” means “If I haven't remembered incorrectly,” which is the Chinese equivalent of “If I recall correctly…” Note the absence of “了 (le)” here in the set phrase.
Nuances and Common Mistakes
The biggest point of confusion for learners is the difference between 记错了 (jìcuòle) and 忘了 (wàngle). They are not interchangeable.
记错了 (jìcuòle) - To Misremember: You have a memory, but it is incorrect. There is information in your head, it's just the wrong information.
忘了 (wàngle) - To Forget: You have no memory of the information. Your mind is a blank on the subject.
Common Mistake:
Incorrect: 我记错了我的钥匙在哪里。(Wǒ jìcuòle wǒ de yàoshi zài nǎlǐ. - I misremembered where my keys are.)
Why it's usually wrong: This sounds strange. If you don't know where your keys are, it means you've forgotten. You have a blank. You don't have an *incorrect memory* of putting them in the refrigerator (unless you actually do, in which case it would be correct!).
Correct: 我忘了我的钥匙在哪里了。(Wǒ wàngle wǒ de yàoshi zài nǎlǐ le. - I forgot where my keys are.)
Another similar term is 搞错了 (gǎocuòle), which means “to get it mixed up” or “to make a mistake.” It's broader than 记错了. You can 搞错了 because you misheard, misunderstood, or misremembered. 记错了 is *specifically* about memory.
忘了 (wàngle) - To forget. The opposite concept: having no memory vs. having a wrong memory.
忘记 (wàngjì) - A slightly more formal way to say “to forget.”
搞错了 (gǎocuòle) - To get something wrong, to mix something up. A broader term for making a mistake that could be due to memory, hearing, or understanding.
弄错了 (nòngcuòle) - Almost identical to `搞错了`; to get something wrong.
记不清 (jìbuqīng) - Can't remember clearly. This expresses uncertainty. You have a fuzzy memory, not a clearly incorrect one.
记忆力 (jìyìlì) - Memory (as in, the faculty or ability to remember). “我的记忆力不好 (Wǒ de jìyìlì bù hǎo)” - “My memory is not good.”
不好意思 (bùhǎoyìsi) - Excuse me; sorry; to feel embarrassed. Often used as a polite preface to admitting you've
记错了.
如果我没记错的话 (rúguǒ wǒ méi jìcuò dehuà) - “If I remember correctly…” A great phrase to use when you are not 100% sure of your memory.