How to say "memorize" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 覚えるおぼえるichidan verb, transitive verbThe everyday word for committing something to memory — vocabulary, lines, a phone number — and the safest choice for 'memorize' in most contexts.
- 覚えこむおぼえこむgodan verb, transitive verbCovers memorizing with an added nuance of fixing something firmly until you have mastered it — drilling material until it sticks. A less common alternative to 覚える.
- 諳んずるそらんずるichidan verb (-zuru), transitive verbIts distinctive sense is reciting something from memory — saying a memorized poem or passage aloud without looking at it. It also means memorize, but being less common it is seldom the everyday choice.
- 諳んじるそらんじるichidan verb, transitive verbHas exactly the same senses as 諳んずる — to memorize and to recite from memory — and the two are interchangeable; like it, this is a less common word you will not need often.
- 頭に入れるあたまにいれるexpression, ichidan verbLiterally 'put into one's head'; its primary meaning is to keep something in mind, and its memorizing use is secondary. For deliberate memorizing, 覚える is usually the word you want.
Use 「覚える」 for memorizing in general; 「覚えこむ」 when you want to stress fixing something firmly until mastered; 「諳んずる」 and 「諳んじる」 suit reciting from memory; 「頭に入れる」 mainly means keeping something in mind.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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