忆起

憶起

yìqǐ

verb #37,242

Meanings

1 to recall
2 to call to mind
3 to be reminded of (a past event, person, etc.)

Characters

to come up; (directional complement)

Examples

HSK 5

看到这张照片，他忆起了童年的时光。

Kàndào zhè zhāng zhàopiàn, tā yìqǐ le tóngnián de shíguāng.

Looking at this photo, he recalled the days of his childhood.

HSK 7-9

她忆起了那年夏天和奶奶在乡下的日子。

Tā yìqǐ le nànián xiàtiān hé nǎinai zài xiāngxia de rìzi.

She remembered the summer she spent with her grandmother in the countryside.

Tips

register

忆起 is more literary than the everyday 想起 ("to recall"). The 忆 morpheme is heavier and more poetic - the same root as in 回忆 (memories) and 追忆 (to reminisce). For ordinary spoken "I just remembered", use 想起来 instead; reserve 忆起 for written or reflective contexts.

grammar

起 here is the directional complement marking the onset of the mental action - "to bring up into mind". Same pattern in 想起, 提起, and 拿起. 忆起 takes a noun phrase directly: 忆起往事.

Stroke Order

忆 yì

起 qǐ