記憶（きおく、kioku）
- memory

The Japanese word 記憶 (きおく) primarily means "memory" or "recollection." It refers to the ability to retain and recall information, experiences, and knowledge from the past. It can encompass both the process of remembering and the content that is remembered. 記憶 involves the storage, retention, and retrieval of information.

⚫︎幼い頃の記憶 Translation: Memories of childhood. ⚫︎彼女の顔は私の記憶に焼き付いている。 Translation: Her face is etched in my memory. ⚫︎彼はその出来事の記憶を失った。 Translation: He lost his memory of the event.

You would use 記憶 in various contexts when discussing memory or remembering. It's suitable for talking about personal experiences, historical events, learning, or even the loss of memory. The word can be used both formally and informally.

記憶 is typically written using kanji and hiragana. The kanji is 記憶, and the reading is きおく. There are no significant variations in the okurigana for this word.

⚫︎ 思い出 (おもいで) - "Memories," "recollections." ⚫︎ 追憶 (ついおく) - "Reminiscence," "recollection" (more formal). ⚫︎ 記録 (きろく) - "Record" (can sometimes overlap with memory in certain contexts, e.g., historical records). ⚫︎ 脳裏 (のうり) - "Mind" or "in one's head" (when referring to something one remembers)

⚫︎ 忘却 (ぼうきゃく) - "Oblivion," "forgetting." ⚫︎ 健忘 (けんぼう) - "Amnesia," "forgetfulness."

私は子供の頃の夏の日の記憶を大切にしています。 ・Translation: I cherish the memories of summer days from my childhood. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 記憶 to describe the act of valuing and holding onto memories.

その映画は、戦争の悲惨な記憶を呼び起こした。 ・Translation: That movie evoked the terrible memories of the war. ・Explanation: The sentence illustrates how something can trigger or bring back memories associated with a difficult or negative event.

The kanji for 記憶 are: ⚫︎ 記 (き) - to record, to write down, or to keep a record. ⚫︎ 憶 (おく) - to remember, to recollect. Together, they combine to mean "to remember" or "to record in the mind," signifying the act of retaining and recalling information.