行列
並行
並列
I can’t keep these words straight. The mnemonics don’t stick and I get them wrong almost every single time. I’m always just guessing. Anyone have an easy way to remember them?
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These both mean line, row, file.
並 is from 並べる to line up
When you line up two lines, they’re going in parallel.
It’s also a relatively common word, like 並行世界 parallel world.
This seems to be either things standing in a row, or parallel but as a computing term.
I feel like for these, it might be better to just see examples, because you could probably come to the same conclusion for all of them based on the kanji.
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I find it helpful to learn about the context the words are used for. This is why I’m a big fan of the common word combinations, which 行列 has! Going through those and sounding each of them out and/or writing them might help you associate 行列 with those chunks.
トイレの行列 = a line for the bathroom, 車の行列 = a line of cars, 行列を作る = to form a line, ものすごい行列 = an extremely long line (as in a line of people). Imagine yourself standing in a 人の行列 and complaining under your breath, “ものすごい行列な”. From here, you can make the connection that 行列 = a line (as in a queue).
Maybe even exaggerate the long vowels as you think of a super long line of people: ぎょううううううううれつ. Look at that 「う」の行列! (line of うs). What are those うs in line for? You decide!
Then when 行列 comes up in reviews you can remember it from those phrases, and then you only have to worry about the other two.
Maybe associate 並行 with this:
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Hey! I’m not to Level 30 yet (obviously, I suppose 
) so take this with a grain of salt, but I thought I might chime in anyway lol
I think this is another instance where WaniKani tries to differentiate Japanese words with arbitrarily different English words that don’t really capture the difference in meaning. So, honestly, you may be better off creating custom user synonyms.
First off, for 並列, which WaniKani says should be “in a row,” I almost always actually see translated as “parallel.” What makes it different from 並行 is that 並列 is used to refer to things (more physical/concrete concepts) that are “in a row.” I also see it used for computer stuff and electronics a lot. For example, 並列回路 parallel circuits, or 電池を並列につなぐ, which is “to connect batteries in parallel.” In the WK context sentence, 並列駐車 is used, which is parallel parking, where the cars themselves are physically in a row, I suppose? Overall, though, I am left to wonder why the hell WaniKani would say that “in a row” is the best base term for this word.
In comparison, 並行 seems more to do with people and experiences, and lines up more with the “at the same time” or “side by side” sense of the word “parallel.” Like in 並行世界, parallel world, that others mentioned, which usually focuses more on the idea of a word similar to ours existing at the same time, side by side, and less on the literal physical location of said world. Or in the (perhaps more practical) WK context sentence where it is used in the first clause 複数の言語を並行して勉強する to describe “learning multiple languages at the same time.”
Anyway, all this to say, WaniKani is often flawed and you may just want to make user synonyms for the two that either make them both “parallel,” or which distinguish them in ways that reflect their real world usage. Or, you can try to think about how 並列 usually means physically “in a row” while 並行 is more situationally “parallel.” I think that the fact that 行 is in the second compound reflects this fact since it indicates more movement/activity.
For an even sillier/more visual/literal route: I would just look at 並行 and say there are more pairs of parallel lines in 行. In fact, there are three pairs of parallel lines, just like there are three parallel L’s in the word parallel (I’m ignoring the hook on the bottom of the last stroke lol). Compare this to 並列, where 列 has lines going every which way. In 並列, though, it almost looks like there are two rows of narrow pews facing the left, one in each Kanji (the very center white space in 並, and the white space in the knife component of 列). The one in 列 even has a little arm rest! Can you see it when they’re together? 並列.
Now, for 行列. Like others said, this refers to a line that you stand in. I might honestly recommend using “queue” (one of the synonyms WaniKani already gives you for the word), since it better distinguishes the intent/meaning of the vocab succinctly (that way you don’t confuse it with a physical or drawn line), even if there are many more uses. It seems to almost always refer to living things standing in line.
For a more mnemonic-y approach: It is a “go 行 line 列,” a line that you must stand in if you want to go somewhere. Ideally, there would also be movement. Everyone hates waiting in a queue that is stagnant. You want there to be movement in that line! You want the queue to go! Ugh, lines.
Phew, this got way too long, my apologies. I hope it is in some way helpful (and/or understandable) though!
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