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基本 (jī běn) — (adjective) basic, fundamental, elementary; (adverb) basically, essentially

Definition

As an adjective, 基本 means 'basic, fundamental' — broader than 基础 (the noun 'foundation'); as an adverb, it means 'basically, essentially,' close to 基本上 but with a wider, more general feel.

adjective
basicfundamentalelementary
adverb
basicallyessentially

Examples

  • 基本。
    Zhè shì xué xí hàn yǔ de jī běn cí huì.
    These are basic vocabulary for learning Chinese.
  • 基本。
    Wǒ jī běn zhī dào zěn me zuò.
    I basically know how to do it.
  • 基本。
    Zhè běn shū jiè shào le jī běn zhī shi.
    This book introduces basic knowledge.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

基jīfoundation
本běnroot

基 is a foundation and 本 is a root; together they mean fundamental or basic.

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 →
Appears in
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