记载 (jì zǎi) is a versatile word meaning 'to record' (as a verb) or 'a record' (as a noun). It combines 记 (jì), meaning 'to remember' or 'to note down', and 载 (zǎi), meaning 'to carry' or 'to bear' — together suggesting information carried forward in written or documented form. This term carries a formal, often historical or scholarly tone, commonly appearing in official documents, historical texts, scientific reports, or archival contexts.

As a verb, it usually appears with an object (e.g., 记载事实 — 'record facts') and often follows subjects like historians, researchers, or ancient texts. As a noun, it frequently appears with modifiers like 详细 (detailed), 历史 (historical), or 古代 (ancient), as in 古代记载 (ancient records). Unlike casual terms like 写下 (xiě xià, 'to write down'), 记载 implies permanence, authority, and intentionality — something meant to be preserved and referenced over time.