认知 (rènzhī) — cognition; to recognize and understand

认知 (rènzhī)

认知 covers both the process of knowing and understanding (cognition) and the resulting knowledge or awareness one holds, making it a central term in psychology, education, and social commentary.

Meanings

1. [noun] cognition; understanding; awareness
2. [verb] to recognize; to perceive; to understand

Example Sentences

人工智能研究离不开对人类认知的深入理解。 Réngōng zhìnéng yánjiū lí bù kāi duì rénlèi rènzhī de shēnrù lǐjiě. AI research cannot be separated from a deep understanding of human cognition.

他对这个问题的认知还比较浅显。 Tā duì zhège wèntí de rènzhī hái bǐjiào qiǎnxiǎn. His understanding of this issue is still relatively shallow.

认知障碍是阿尔茨海默病的主要症状之一。 Rènzhī zhàng'ài shì ā'ěrcíhǎimò bìng de zhǔyào zhèngzhuàng zhī yī. Cognitive impairment is one of the main symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

通过学习，我们可以不断提升自己的认知水平。 Tōngguò xuéxí, wǒmen kěyǐ bùduàn tíshēng zìjǐ de rènzhī shuǐpíng. Through learning, we can continuously raise our level of understanding.

社会对心理健康问题的认知正在逐步改变。 Shèhuì duì xīnlǐ jiànkāng wèntí de rènzhī zhèngzài zhúbù gǎibiàn. Society's awareness of mental health issues is gradually changing.

儿童的认知发展分为几个不同阶段。 Értóng de rènzhī fāzhǎn fēn wéi jǐ gè bùtóng jiēduàn. Children's cognitive development is divided into several distinct stages.

Collocations

Usage Notes

认知 is a formal, academic-register term used widely in psychology, education policy, and social analysis. As a noun it refers to one's cognitive understanding or awareness of something. As a verb it means to come to know or recognize, though the noun usage is far more common in modern Chinese.

Distinguish 认知 from 了解 (liǎojiě, to understand/know about): 认知 implies a deeper cognitive or psychological process, while 了解 is a more neutral, everyday term for being informed about something.

Memory Hook

认 (to recognize) + 知 (to know): recognizing and knowing together -- the full process of cognition.