丸暗記（まるあんき、maruanki）
- memorization by rote

The Japanese word 丸暗記 (まるあんき) means to memorize something by rote, to learn something by heart, or to memorize something mechanically without necessarily understanding its meaning. It implies memorizing information verbatim, word for word, or exactly as it is presented. The focus is on remembering the exact wording rather than grasping the concept or underlying principles. It can also be interpreted as "cramming."

⚫︎ テストのために、歴史の出来事を丸暗記した。 Translation: I memorized the historical events for the test. ⚫︎ 子供の頃、電話番号を丸暗記させられた。 Translation: When I was a child, I was made to memorize phone numbers. ⚫︎ 教科書の内容を丸暗記するだけでは、理解が深まらない。 Translation: Just memorizing the contents of the textbook won't deepen understanding.

You can use 丸暗記 in situations where someone is memorizing facts, lists, vocabulary, or any other information in a verbatim manner, typically for exams, presentations, or other purposes where recalling the exact wording is important. It is often used critically to suggest that the method is not the most effective way of learning for deeper understanding. It is also often used negatively as it implies lack of true comprehension.

The word 丸暗記 is typically written with the kanji 丸 (まる) meaning "circle" or "whole" and the kanji 暗記 (あんき) meaning "memorization." However, 丸暗記 is commonly written in hiragana as まるあんき. The okurigana is standard, with no variations. The verb form is 丸暗記する (まるあんきする) meaning "to memorize by rote" or "to cram". Conjugation is applied to する(suru) which is a suru verb. For example, 丸暗記した(maruankishita) meaning "memorized by rote" or 丸暗記して(maruanshite) meaning "memorizing by rote".

⚫︎ 暗記 (あんき) - memorization ⚫︎ 記憶 (きおく) - memory ⚫︎ 詰め込み (つめこみ) - cramming (often associated with rote memorization) ⚫︎ 暗誦 (あんしょう) - reciting from memory ⚫︎ 丸覚え (まるおぼえ) - similar to 丸暗記 but sometimes implies memorizing through rote learning without much understanding.丸覚え is less formal than 丸暗記.

⚫︎ 理解 (りかい) - understanding ⚫︎ 習得 (しゅうとく) - acquisition, learning ⚫︎ 学習 (がくしゅう) - learning, study ⚫︎ 暗記ではない - is not memorization

試験では、多くの学生が教科書の内容を丸暗記しようとする。 ・Translation: In the exam, many students try to memorize the contents of the textbook by rote. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the common behavior of students to memorize textbooks for exams. It highlights a common study technique.

先生は、丸暗記ではなく、内容を理解することが重要だと強調した。 ・Translation: The teacher emphasized that understanding the content is important, not just rote memorization. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates the contrasting value of rote memorization vs. understanding the content. It highlights a teacher's teaching philosophy.

The etymology is straightforward. 丸 (まる) means "whole" or "complete," and it is used here to emphasize the complete memorization of something. 暗記 (あんき) is a combination of the kanji 暗 (an), meaning "dark" or "obscure," and 記 (ki), meaning "to record" or "to remember." Combined, 暗記 means "to memorize." The usage of 丸 here suggests complete and total memorization, focusing on the entirety of the information.