草根 (cǎo gēn) — grassroots; ordinary people (as a social group… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literally 'grass roots' (a metaphor), used as a noun or attributive for ordinary people at the base of society, not elites. In English borrowings like 'grassroots democracy' it matches the social/political sense, not the literal plant meaning.

noun

grassrootsordinary people (as a social group or class)

Examples

草根。
cǎo gēn Jiē céng de shēng yīn yuè lái yuè shòu dào zhòng shì.
The voice of the grassroots class is getting more and more attention.
草根。
Zhè wèi cǎo gēn gē shǒu píng jiè yuán chuàng zuò pǐn xùn sù zǒu hóng.
This grassroots singer quickly became popular with original works.
草根。
Tā men tuī dòng le yì zhǒng zhēn zhèng de cǎo gēn mín zhǔ yùn dòng.
They promoted a genuine grassroots democracy movement.

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.

草 is grass and 根 is root, so 草根 is the root of grass.

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.

艹早草

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant

Sound part声符shēngfú

早

早zǎo草cǎo

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

草 pairs 艹 (grass; plant) with 早, which gives the sound. The form originally referred to another word and was later used for the grass sense.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

木艮根

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

艮

艮gèn根gēn(r)

Same sound today

根 pairs 木 (tree/wood), pointing to plant roots, with 艮 as a sound part.

Appears in

Society & Public Life

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