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基本上 (jī běn shàng) — basically, on the whole

Definition

Used as an adverb to mean 'basically / on the whole' — similar to 大体 but more common in spoken and written Chinese. Adds a soft summary before stating how things stand overall.

adverb
basicallyon the whole

Examples

  • 基本上。
    Wǒ jī běn shàng wán chéng le gōng zuò.
    I basically finished the work.
  • 基本上。
    Zhè suǒ xué xiào de lǎo shī jī běn shàng dōu hěn hǎo.
    The teachers at this school are basically all very good.
  • 基本上。
    Nǐ de huí dá jī běn shàng shì duì de.
    Your answer is basically correct.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

基本basic
基jīfoundation本běnroot
联合Coordinate
上shàngon

基本 gives the sense of basic, and 上 frames it as on the basic level.

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
其
其qí基jī
Same sound today

The lower 土 means earth, and the upper 其 gives the sound; together they form the idea of a foundation of earth.

Open 基 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

本 adds a stroke at the bottom of a tree shape to mark the roots, giving the sense of foundation or original.

Open 本 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

上 is drawn as a short horizontal line placed above a longer arc, marking a position above that arc.

Open 上 →

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 45000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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