<p>記 refers to &quot;mark&quot; as in 記號，記認，標記</p>
<p>A mark is used for people to identify a brand, store, or product</p>
<p>Examples:</p>
<p>陈记卤味, 王记牛肉面, 张记海鲜餐馆 all used the family name of the founder or owner as a mark for people to identify the product or restaurant</p>
<p>添記茶餐廳，強記士多，勝記燒臘 all used the given name of the founder or owner as a mark for people to identify the product or restaurant</p>
<p>I like 廖孖記腐乳 (The Liao Twin brand fermented bean curd) a lot</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/MG7dr2pB.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/MG7dr2pB.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>More example:</p>
<p>三花<strong>嘜</strong> (three flowers <strong>mark</strong>)</p>
<p>三花為記 -  three flowers as its mark</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/oTLC1MsA.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/oTLC1MsA.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-24T18:33:36.867Z
2024-11-26T01:35:54.250Z
2024-11-26T01:35:54.250Z
Tang Ho
<p>I think xx记 here indicates the <strong>small</strong> commercial scale of such individual shop, compared with xx庄, xx堂, and 斋阁铺.</p>
<p>As for a clue why choosing the word 记, an infamous example is <a href="https://www.sohu.com/a/364103894_120073393" rel="nofollow noreferrer">認門前白兔兒為記</a> from 宋代, which got known by a modern Chinese exam.</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/82OwtCNT.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/82OwtCNT.jpg" alt="济南刘家功夫针铺" /></a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>“认门前白兔儿为记”,是告诉买家一定要认准本店的白兔捣药商标进行选购,这与现代的“请认准中国××商标”,似乎有异曲同工之妙</p>
<p>“认门前白兔儿为记” tells customers to recognize the white rabbit pounding medicine trademark of their store before purchasing, which is similar to the modern commercial ads “请认准中国××商标”.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-25T03:16:47.547Z
2024-11-25T03:29:54.190Z
2024-11-25T03:29:54.190Z
zrsammy
<p>The character「记」is often used with surnames in the names of shops, e.g.:</p>
<ul>
<li>陈记[...] (陈记卤味)</li>
<li>王记[...] (王记牛肉面)</li>
<li>张记[...] (张记海鲜餐馆)</li>
</ul>
<p>Dictionaries just generally say something similar to what <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E8%A8%98#Chinese" rel="noreferrer">Wiktionary</a> says:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>(Guangdong, Hong Kong, Taiwan) Suffix for restaurants, stores, etc.<br />
李錦記 [Cantonese, trad.]<br />
李锦记 [Cantonese, simp.]<br />
lei5 gam2 gei3 [Jyutping]<br />
Lee Kum Kee (food company founded by Lee Kum Sheung)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Ignoring the reach of the usage (HK, TW, etc.), as it is certainly much more widespread than that - there is little to no indication of why the character「记」is used.</p>
<p>Perhaps it is an extension of「记账」or something like that? But again the etymology is not alluded to in most reference works.</p>
<p>Ideas?</p>

<meaning><etymology>
Why「记」for shop names?
# Why「记」for shop names?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-11-24)

The character「记」is often used with surnames in the names of shops, e.g.:

* 陈记[...] (陈记卤味)
* 王记[...] (王记牛肉面)
* 张记[...] (张记海鲜餐馆)

Dictionaries just generally say something similar to what [Wiktionary](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E8%A8%98#Chinese) says:

> (Guangdong, Hong Kong, Taiwan) Suffix for restaurants, stores, etc.  
> 李錦記 [Cantonese, trad.]  
> 李锦记 [Cantonese, simp.]  
> lei5 gam2 gei3 [Jyutping]  
> Lee Kum Kee (food company founded by Lee Kum Sheung)

Ignoring the reach of the usage (HK, TW, etc.), as it is certainly much more widespread than that - there is little to no indication of why the character「记」is used.

Perhaps it is an extension of「记账」or something like that? But again the etymology is not alluded to in most reference works.

Ideas?

**Tags:** meaning, etymology


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-11-24. Score: 9

記 refers to "mark" as in 記號，記認，標記

A mark is used for people to identify a brand, store, or product

Examples:

陈记卤味, 王记牛肉面, 张记海鲜餐馆 all used the family name of the founder or owner as a mark for people to identify the product or restaurant

添記茶餐廳，強記士多，勝記燒臘 all used the given name of the founder or owner as a mark for people to identify the product or restaurant

I like 廖孖記腐乳 (The Liao Twin brand fermented bean curd) a lot

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/MG7dr2pB.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/MG7dr2pB.png)

More example:

三花**嘜** (three flowers **mark**)

三花為記 - three flowers as its mark

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/oTLC1MsA.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/oTLC1MsA.png)


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### Answer by username_2 on 2024-11-25. Score: 3

I think xx记 here indicates the **small** commercial scale of such individual shop, compared with xx庄, xx堂, and 斋阁铺.

As for a clue why choosing the word 记, an infamous example is [認門前白兔兒為記](https://www.sohu.com/a/364103894_120073393) from 宋代, which got known by a modern Chinese exam.

[![济南刘家功夫针铺](https://i.sstatic.net/82OwtCNT.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/82OwtCNT.jpg)

> “认门前白兔儿为记”,是告诉买家一定要认准本店的白兔捣药商标进行选购,这与现代的“请认准中国××商标”,似乎有异曲同工之妙
>
> “认门前白兔儿为记” tells customers to recognize the white rabbit pounding medicine trademark of their store before purchasing, which is similar to the modern commercial ads “请认准中国××商标”.


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