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基石 (jī shí) — foundation stone (literal, in construction); cornerstone; fundamental basis (figurative, of a system, theory, relationship)

Definition

Literally a foundation stone in construction; figuratively, the fundamental basis of a system, theory, or relationship (e.g. education as the 基石 of national development). More elevated and literary than 基础.

noun
foundation stone (literal, in construction)cornerstonefundamental basis (figurative, of a system, theory, relationship)
Measure word · 块

Examples

  • 基石。
    Zhè zuò dà lóu de jī shí fēi cháng jiān gù.
    The foundation stone of this building is very solid.
  • 基石。
    Jiào yù shì guó jiā fā zhǎn de jī shí.
    Education is the cornerstone of a country's development.
  • 基石。
    Xìn rèn shì liáng hǎo hé zuò de jī shí.
    Trust is the foundation of good cooperation.

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.

基jīfoundation
石shístone

基 means foundation or base, and 石 means stone, together giving a foundation stone.

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 石 shows a stone under a cliff-like overhang, or a cave set into a cliff side.

Open 石 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsBuildings & Structures

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