Meaning
録 means to record, write down, or register — preserving information so it can be found and used later. Audio, video, official names, meeting notes: whatever form it takes, 録 captures it in lasting form.
The character pairs the radical 金 (metal/gold) on the left with the phonetic component 彔 on the right. In ancient China, important decrees and genealogies were engraved onto bronze vessels. 金 carries that sense of permanence — carving something into metal so it cannot be lost. 彔 supplies the on'yomi reading ロク.
録 covers both the act of recording and the result. That's why it spans such different contexts: audio capture, official registration, archival documentation, meeting minutes. One kanji, many practical uses.
It has 16 strokes, is taught at Grade 4 in Japanese elementary school, and takes the 金 radical on its left side.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
One reading: ロク. It appears in virtually every compound containing this kanji — formal administrative terms, everyday media vocabulary, and everything in between. No kun'yomi to worry about here. Master ロク and its compounds and you're done.
Common on'yomi compounds:
- 記録 (kiroku) — record, documentation
- 録音 (rokuon) — audio recording
- 登録 (tōroku) — registration, enrollment
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
録 has no kun'yomi in regular use. It entered Japanese through classical Chinese administrative texts, and no native Japanese word was mapped onto it. You'll encounter it almost exclusively in on'yomi compound words (熟語, jukugo).
Common Words & Compounds
録 turns up across documentation, media, and official registration. Below are the most useful compounds by theme.
Documentation & Records
- 記録 (kiroku) — record, written account; also used for sports records
- 目録 (mokuroku) — catalog, inventory, table of contents
- 議事録 (gijiroku) — meeting minutes, official proceedings
- 回顧録 (kaikoroku) — memoir, personal reminiscences
- 付録 (furoku) — appendix, supplement (in a book or magazine)
Audio & Video Recording
- 録音 (rokuon) — audio recording
- 録画 (rokuga) — video recording
- 収録 (shūroku) — to record for broadcast; to compile into a collection
Registration & Enrollment
- 登録 (tōroku) — registration, enrollment, signing up
- 実録 (jitsuroku) — authentic record, true account, documentary
Example Sentences
この会議の内容を記録してください。
Kono kaigi no naiyō wo kiroku shite kudasai.
Please document the contents of this meeting.
授業を録音してもいいですか。
Jugyō wo rokuon shite mo ii desu ka.
Is it okay if I record the class?
彼女は世界記録を破った。
Kanojo wa sekai kiroku wo yabutta.
She broke the world record.
このサービスを利用するには登録が必要です。
Kono sābisu wo riyō suru ni wa tōroku ga hitsuyō desu.
Registration is required to use this service.
番組を録画しておいたので、あとで見られます。
Bangumi wo rokuga shite oita node, ato de miraremasu.
I recorded the program earlier, so I can watch it later.
この曲はアルバムに収録されています。
Kono kyoku wa arubamu ni shūroku sarete imasu.
This song is included in the album.
会議の議事録を作成するのは私の仕事です。
Kaigi no gijiroku wo sakusei suru no wa watashi no shigoto desu.
Writing up the meeting minutes is my job.
雑誌の付録に便利な手帳がついていた。
Zasshi no furoku ni benri na techō ga tsuite ita.
The magazine supplement came with a useful planner.
父は自分の人生を回顧録にまとめた。
Chichi wa jibun no jinsei wo kaikoroku ni matometa.
My father wrote his life story as a memoir.
Memory Tip
Picture an ancient bronze (金) tablet with words carved deep into the metal — permanent, impossible to erase. That's 録: pressing information into a form that survives. The 金 radical on the left is your anchor. See it, think metal → permanent → recorded. It works for 録音 (audio recording) and 記録 (written record) alike — same idea, different medium.