Definition
本 (běn) as an adverb means 'originally' or 'fundamentally', pointing to the original state or root of something. It is a bound form (often used in compounds like 根本 or 原本) and is more formal than the standalone adverb 原本 (yuánběn), which specifically means 'originally (a past situation that changed)'. As a bound form, it does not appear alone in modern speech.
(bound form) rootoriginsource
Easily confused
- 笨bènsound-alikestupid; foolish
- 奔bènsound-aliketo go straight towards; to head for
Examples
- 。Wǒ běn lái bù zhīdào zhè jiàn shì.I didn't know about this originally.
- 。Zhè gēn běn bú shì wǒ de cuò.This is fundamentally not my fault.
- 本。Zhè shì zuì běn de yāoqiú.This is the most basic requirement.
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