The Chinese word **记忆力** (jìyìlì), meaning "memory (as a mental faculty)," is a logical compound formed by combining **记忆** (jìyì), which means "to remember; memory" (itself a compound of 记, "to record," and 忆, "to recall"), with the suffix **力** (lì), meaning "power," "capacity," or "ability." This construction follows a common pattern in modern Chinese where **力** is appended to a noun or verb to denote the inherent capability or strength related to that concept. Therefore, **记忆力** translates literally to "the power/capacity of memory," efficiently encapsulating the idea of one's ability to retain and recall information.