How to Write 忆 (yì) — Meaning “to remember; to recall”

Imagine that 乙 looks like a curved hook, and the heart radical 忄 is on the left. Picture your heart catching a memory with a hook, so 忆 means "to hook a memory." This visual trick helps connect the shape to the meaning of remembering.

Write the heart radical 忄 first: left dot, vertical stroke, then right dot. Then add 乙 in one smooth stroke: a horizontal line that curves down and hooks left. A common mistake is making the 忄 too wide or writing 乙 as two separate strokes; keep the overall shape narrow and balanced.

The similar characters listed are 忄 (the radical itself, not a standalone word) and 忉 (dāo, meaning grieved). 忆 has 乙 on the right, a single curved stroke; 忉 has 刀 (knife) on the right, which has a sharp angle. Remember: 忆 is for memories, 忉 is for sorrow, and their right sides are visually distinct.

忆 appears in common words like 回忆 (huíyì, to recall) and 记忆 (jìyì, memory), often in writing or formal speech. The phrase 记忆犹新 (jìyì yóu xīn) means "still fresh in memory" and is used when describing vivid past events. While 忆 is more literary, you will encounter it in news articles and stories about memories.

Common words containing 忆 include: 回忆 (huí yì) — Memory; to recall.; 记忆 (jì yì) — Memory; 记忆犹新 (jì yì yóu xīn) — Still fresh in one's memory.