记忆犹新
- Literal
- the memory, still new
- Figurative
- To remember something as vividly as if it had just happened, even though time has passed; usually said of experiences that left a mark.
Where does 记忆犹新 come from?
It does not come from an anecdote: it is a transparent phrase with a touch of written Chinese. 记忆 means "memory, recollection," 犹 is a classical-flavored adverb meaning "still, yet," and 新 is "new, fresh." So it says the memory is still as good as new, untouched by the passing of time. It is usually applied to things that left a mark — an exam, a trip, a scare, a disaster — and often comes after the time that has passed or with 至今, "to this day": 至今记忆犹新. It is common in personal accounts, speeches and the press.
How is 记忆犹新 used? Two examples
- 第一次上台演讲的情景，我到现在还记忆犹新。
I still remember the first time I gave a speech on stage as if it were yesterday.
- 那场大地震虽然过去多年，很多人至今记忆犹新。
Many years have gone by since that great earthquake, yet many people still remember it vividly.
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