How to say "recall" in Japanese

• 思い出すおもいだすJLPT N4approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbThe basic verb for the mental sense of 'recall': bringing back to mind a name, a fact, or a past event. This is the word you will usually want for remembering something.
  あなたを見みるとお兄にいさんを思い出おもいだします。↗

  You remind me of your brother.
• 思い起こすおもいおこすCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbAlso 'to recall or remember', close to 思い出す but with a more deliberate, reflective nuance of summoning something to mind; it suits looking back on the past.
  その団体だんたいは騒音そうおんが有害ゆうがいなことを人々ひとびとに思い起おもいおこされるためにポスターを掲かかげた。↗

  The group put up posters to remind people that noise is harmful.
• リコールCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbA loanword for the political sense of 'recall': removing an elected official from office through a petition and popular vote. For calling something to mind, use one of the 思い verbs instead.
• 思い浮かべるおもいうかべるCommon
  ichidan verb, transitive verbTo call something to mind as a mental image — a face, a scene, an idea you picture. It overlaps with 思い出す but has this pictorial nuance of deliberately bringing something before the mind.
  家族かぞくのことを思い浮おもいうかべるといえが恋こいしくなる。↗

  I feel homesick when I remember my family.
• 取り返しとりかえしCommon
  nounThis is seldom the word you want for mental recall: it means recovery or undoing — getting something back rather than calling it to mind. Its 'recall' sense is marginal at best.

For the mental sense of 'recall' use 「思い出す」, the default, or the near-synonyms 「思い起こす」 and 「思い浮かべる」; use 「リコール」 for the political recall of elected officials; 「取り返し」 means recovery or undoing, not mental recall.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 思い出すおもいだすto recall
• 思い起こすおもいおこすto recall
• リコールrecall (of an elected official)
• 思い浮かべるおもいうかべるto remember
• 取り返しとりかえしrecovery
• 思い当たるおもいあたるto suddenly understand (esp. on basis of experience or memory)
• 呼び戻すよびもどすto call (someone) back
• 召還しょうかんrecall (esp. of an envoy or an ambassador)
• 思い寄るおもいよるto recall
• 製品回収せいひんかいしゅうrecall (of goods)
• 再現率さいげんりつrecall
• 呼び返すよびかえすto call back
• 思い回すおもいまわすto ponder
• 記憶をたどるきおくをたどるto reach back into one's memory
• 見覚えがあるみおぼえがあるto recognize
• 思いつくおもいつくto remember
• 浮かべるうかべるto recall
• 想起そうきrecall (memory)
• コールバックrecall (of defective products)
• 呼び覚ますよびさますto bring back (e.g. memories)
• フッキングhook flash (on a telephone)
• 思うおもうto recall
• 再生さいせいrecall (memory)