<p>Both 记录 and 纪录 can be a noun for "record" or a verb for "to record"</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>紀 has the meaning of "historical record"; "epoch; period; age"</p>
</blockquote>

<ul>
<li><p>纪录(n) is more often used for "record" (of historical fact).  e.g. 目前男子一百米短跑世界[<strong>紀錄</strong>]为 9.58 秒; 多倫多最低氣溫[<strong>紀錄</strong>]是 −33 °C </p></li>
<li><p>纪录(v) is more often used for "to record" (historical item). e.g. "资治通鉴[<strong>纪录</strong>]了由公元前 403年 至 公元 959年的 1362 年歴史"</p></li>
<li><p>记录(n) is appropriate term for any information that's being recorded e.g. 查看通话[<strong>记录</strong>]</p></li>
<li><p>记录(v) applies to recorded information in general. e.g. 打卡机的功能是[<strong>记录</strong>]員工的上下班時間</p></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-17T08:17:02.443Z
2019-12-17T11:19:09.540Z
2019-12-17T11:19:09.540Z
Tang Ho
<p><a href="http://youdao.com/w/%E8%AE%B0%E5%BD%95" rel="noreferrer">记录</a> and <a href="http://youdao.com/w/%E7%BA%AA%E5%BD%95" rel="noreferrer">纪录</a> are both pronounced the same, and mean "record".  It looks like both can be used as nouns and verbs.</p>

<p><strong>Question</strong>: What's the difference between 记录 and 纪录?</p>

<p>I'm using <a href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/zhongwen-chinese-english/" rel="noreferrer">Zhongwen Chinese Popup Dictionary</a>, and it says</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>纪录: variant of 记录 (but in Taiwan, not for the verb sense "to record")</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I understand that to mean 记录 and 纪录 mean the same thing, where 记录 is the default, and 纪录 is a variant (except in Taiwan).  However, I'm not sure this is accurate.</p>

<p>Finding some examples online, we have...</p>

<ol>
<li><p><strong>纪录</strong></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>吉尼斯世界<strong>纪录</strong> (<a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%90%89%E5%B0%BC%E6%96%AF%E4%B8%96%E7%95%8C%E7%BA%AA%E5%BD%95" rel="noreferrer">source</a>)<br>
  Guinness world <strong>record</strong></p>
  
  <p>破马拉松<strong>纪录</strong>奖励100万 (<a href="http://sports.sina.com.cn/run/2019-12-17/doc-iihnzahi8061261.shtml" rel="noreferrer">source</a>)<br>
  Break China's marathon <strong>record</strong> reward 1,000,000 [Chinese yuan]</p>
</blockquote></li>
<li><p><strong>记录</strong></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>幼儿教师观察<strong>记录</strong> (<a href="http://www.yejs.com.cn/jswa/listmm/id/809.htm" rel="noreferrer">source</a>)<br>
  Kindergarten teacher observation <strong>records</strong></p>
  
  <p>微信<strong>记录</strong>怎么彻底删除 (<a href="http://www.chinaz.com/news/mt/2019/1217/1073718.shtml" rel="noreferrer">source</a>)<br>
  How [do I] thoroughly delete Weixin <strong>records</strong>?</p>
</blockquote></li>
</ol>

<p>They do seem a bit different, but it's very unclear to me.</p>

<difference>
What's the difference between 记录 and 纪录, both pronounced jìlù, and both meaning "record"?
# What's the difference between 记录 and 纪录, both pronounced jìlù, and both meaning "record"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-12-17)

[记录](http://youdao.com/w/%E8%AE%B0%E5%BD%95) and [纪录](http://youdao.com/w/%E7%BA%AA%E5%BD%95) are both pronounced the same, and mean "record". It looks like both can be used as nouns and verbs.

**Question**: What's the difference between 记录 and 纪录?

I'm using [Zhongwen Chinese Popup Dictionary](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/zhongwen-chinese-english/), and it says

> 纪录: variant of 记录 (but in Taiwan, not for the verb sense "to record")

I understand that to mean 记录 and 纪录 mean the same thing, where 记录 is the default, and 纪录 is a variant (except in Taiwan). However, I'm not sure this is accurate.

Finding some examples online, we have...

1. **纪录**

   > 吉尼斯世界**纪录** ([source](https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%90%89%E5%B0%BC%E6%96%AF%E4%B8%96%E7%95%8C%E7%BA%AA%E5%BD%95))  
   > Guinness world **record**
   >
   > 破马拉松**纪录**奖励100万 ([source](http://sports.sina.com.cn/run/2019-12-17/doc-iihnzahi8061261.shtml))  
   > Break China's marathon **record** reward 1,000,000 [Chinese yuan]
2. **记录**

   > 幼儿教师观察**记录** ([source](http://www.yejs.com.cn/jswa/listmm/id/809.htm))  
   > Kindergarten teacher observation **records**
   >
   > 微信**记录**怎么彻底删除 ([source](http://www.chinaz.com/news/mt/2019/1217/1073718.shtml))  
   > How [do I] thoroughly delete Weixin **records**?

They do seem a bit different, but it's very unclear to me.

**Tags:** difference


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-12-17. Score: 4

Both 记录 and 纪录 can be a noun for "record" or a verb for "to record"

> 紀 has the meaning of "historical record"; "epoch; period; age"

* 纪录(n) is more often used for "record" (of historical fact). e.g. 目前男子一百米短跑世界[**紀錄**]为 9.58 秒; 多倫多最低氣溫[**紀錄**]是 −33 °C
* 纪录(v) is more often used for "to record" (historical item). e.g. "资治通鉴[**纪录**]了由公元前 403年 至 公元 959年的 1362 年歴史"
* 记录(n) is appropriate term for any information that's being recorded e.g. 查看通话[**记录**]
* 记录(v) applies to recorded information in general. e.g. 打卡机的功能是[**记录**]員工的上下班時間


---

