Translation guide
How to express the act of recording information in written form, from casual notes to formal documentation.
The basic act of putting words or information onto paper or a digital medium.
The most common and natural verb for 'writing down' something to remember or record it.
I wrote down his phone number.
Please write down the important points.
Very common casual verb meaning 'to take a note/memo'. Often used for quick, informal notes.
I took notes on the meeting.
Jot it down real quick.
The general verb 'to write'. Can mean 'write down' when context makes it clear, but less specific than 書き留める.
Please write your name down here.
A more formal or literary verb for 'writing down', often used in written language or historical contexts.
The event is recorded in a diary.
Specifically capturing spoken information in real time.
Writing something down for official records or permanent documentation.
Writing something briefly and hastily.
書き留める is more general and can be used for any kind of writing down, while メモする specifically implies making a memo or note, often for personal reference. メモする is slightly more casual and common in spoken Japanese.
write down an address
take a memo of the phone call
While 書く can mean 'write down', it is ambiguous. Use 書き留める or メモする when you specifically mean recording information, not just the act of writing characters.