本 meaning and stroke order
(bound form) root; stem; (bound form) origin; source; (bound form) one's own; this
How to write 本, stroke by stroke
5 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Meaning of 本
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) root; stem
- (bound form) origin; source
- (bound form) one's own; this
- (bound form) this; the current (year etc)
- (bound form) original
- (bound form) inherent
How 本 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A tree 木 with its roots highlighted.
Radical: 木 (tree), shared by 388 characters on this site.
How to remember 本
本 is a tree 木 with a short line 一 marking the bottom, pointing to its roots. The root is where a tree starts, so 本 means root, origin, or basis.
本 appears in many words about basics and origins, like 根本 (gēnběn) and 基本 (jīběn). It also means "this" or "one's own" in formal phrases like 本人 (běnrén), and it is the measure word for books. Example: 我买了三本书。(Wǒ mǎile sān běn shū.) I bought three books.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 本 with 木 (mù, tree) and 末 (mò, tip). In 本 the short line is low, near the roots. In 末 the longer line is on top, near the branch tips.
Common words with 本
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 本子 | běnzi | book; notebook | HSK 1 |
| 课本 | kèběn | textbook | HSK 1 |
| 笔记本 | bǐjìběn | notebook (stationery) (CL:本[ben3]); (computing) laptop; notebook (abbr. for 筆記本電腦|笔记本电脑[bi | HSK 2 |
| 根本 | gēnběn | fundamental; basic | HSK 3 |
| 本来 | běnlái | original; originally | HSK 3 |
| 基本 | jīběn | basic; fundamental | HSK 3 |
| 基本上 | jīběnshàng | basically; on the whole | HSK 3 |
| 本事 | běnshi | source material; original story | HSK 3 |
| 本领 | běnlǐng | skill; ability | HSK 3 |
| 本科 | běnkē | undergraduate course; undergraduate (attributive) | HSK 4 |
| 本人 | běnrén | I; me; myself; oneself; yourself; himself; herself; the person concerned | HSK 5 |
| 剧本 | jùběn | script; screenplay; scenario; libretto | HSK 5 |
| 成本 | chéngběn | (manufacturing, production etc) costs | HSK 5 |
| 资本 | zīběn | capital (economics) | HSK 5 |
本 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 本
Learning 本 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 本
How many strokes are in 本?
本 is written with 5 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 本 mean?
本 (běn) means (bound form) root; stem; (bound form) origin; source; (bound form) one's own; this. A common word with it is 本子 (běnzi), meaning "book; notebook".
How do you pronounce 本?
本 is pronounced běn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 本?
The radical of 本 is 木, which carries the idea of "tree". Dictionaries list 本 under this radical.
Is 本 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 本 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
Why is 本 used as a measure word for books?
本 is the standard measure word for bound items such as books, notebooks, and magazines. You say 一本书 (yì běn shū) for one book and 两本杂志 (liǎng běn zázhì) for two magazines.
What does 本来 (běnlái) mean in a sentence?
本来 means originally or at first, and it often signals that things later changed. For example, 我本来想去，但是太忙了。(Wǒ běnlái xiǎng qù, dànshì tài máng le.) I originally wanted to go, but I was too busy.