基 (jī) — (bound form) base; foundation; fundamental
Definition
基 (jī) is a bound morpheme meaning 'base / foundation' — it never stands alone but combines into everyday words like 基本 (jīběn), 基础 (jīchǔ), and 基因 (jīyīn).
bound form
basefoundationfundamental
Examples
- 。Xué xí jī chǔ hěn zhòng yào.Learning the basics is very important.
- 。Zhè shì zuò rén de jī běn zhǔn zé.This is a basic principle of being a person.
- 。Zhè ge jī jīn yòng yú zhī chí jiào yù.This fund is used to support education.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
The lower 土 means earth, and the upper 其 gives the sound; together they form the idea of a foundation of earth.
Appears in
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