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功底 (gōng dǐ) — basic skills, fundamentals (in a craft, art, or discipline)

Definition

功底 refers specifically to the basic skills a person has built up in a craft or art (calligraphy, music, martial arts). Pairs with 扎实/深厚. Use 基本功 for the general concept; 基础 is broader and more abstract.

noun
basic skillsfundamentals (in a craft, art, or discipline)

Examples

  • 功底。
    Tā de shū fǎ gōng dǐ hěn zhā shi.
    His calligraphy fundamentals are very solid.
  • 功底。
    Xué wǔ shù xū yào xiān dǎ hǎo gōng dǐ.
    Learning martial arts requires first building a solid foundation.
  • 功底。
    Zhè wèi gāng qín jiā de gōng dǐ fēi cháng shēn hòu.
    This pianist's basic skills are extremely profound.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

功gōngskill
底dǐfoundation

功 (skill) and 底 (foundation) combine to mean the base of one's trained ability.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng功gōng
Same sound today

功 puts 力 (strength) beside 工, which gives the sound gōng and means labour or work.

Open 功 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
广广guǎngbuilding
Sound part声符shēngfú
氐
氐dī底dǐ
Same sound today

底 pairs 广 (building) with 氐, pointing to the bottom or foundation of a building. Some read 氐 as a bowing figure or tree root, adding a sense of 'down'.

Open 底 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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