The word 铭记 is a compound verb formed from two semantically related characters: 铭 (míng), which originally refers to an inscription engraved on metal or stone, thus carrying the connotation of something permanent and enduring, and 记 (jì), which means to record or remember. When combined, 铭 acts as a vivid adverbial modifier for 记, metaphorically intensifying the act of remembering to mean "to engrave in one's memory", implying a deep, lasting, and indelible form of remembrance, as if carved into one's mind like an inscription.