Meaning of 基本
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- basic
- fundamental
- main
- elementary
How to use 基本
基本 works as an adjective for basic or fundamental things, as in 基本知识 (jīběn zhīshi, basic knowledge). It also works before verbs and adjectives to mean mostly or basically. Example: 我基本懂了。(Wǒ jīběn dǒng le.) I basically understand.
基 (jī) means a foundation or base, and 本 (běn) is a tree 木 with a mark at its root. Put the foundation and the root together and you get what is basic and fundamental.
Common mistake: Learners often write 基 with 其 on top but forget the 土 (earth) at the bottom, or confuse it with 期 (qī) and 旗 (qí). Also keep the tones straight: jī is first tone and běn is third tone.
基本 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
基 jī · foundation · 11 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
本 běn · root · 5 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Related words
Words that share a character with 基本.
| 本子 | běnzi | book; notebook |
| 课本 | kèběn | textbook |
| 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 |
| 根本 | gēnběn | fundamental; basic |
| 本来 | běnlái | original; originally |
| 基本上 | jīběnshàng | basically; on the whole |
| 本事 | běnshi | source material; original story |
| 基础 | jīchǔ | base; foundation; basis; basic; fundamental |
| 本领 | běnlǐng | skill; ability |
| 本科 | běnkē | undergraduate course; undergraduate (attributive) |
| 基地 | jīdì | base (of operations, industrial, military, research etc) |
| 本人 | běnrén | I; me; myself; oneself; yourself; himself; herself; the person concerned |
Questions about 基本
What does 基本 mean?
基本 (jīběn) means "basic; fundamental" and is used as a adjective.
How do you write 基本?
基本 is made of 2 characters: 基 (11 strokes), 本 (5 strokes). That is 16 strokes in total.
Is 基本 an HSK word?
Yes. 基本 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 基本 and 基本上?
基本上 (jīběnshàng) is used as an adverb meaning basically or on the whole, often at the start of a sentence. 基本 can also act as an adverb, but only 基本 works as an adjective before a noun, as in 基本问题 (basic problem).
How is 基本 different from 根本?
Both mean fundamental, but 根本 (gēnběn) is often used in negatives to mean not at all, as in 我根本不知道 (I have no idea at all). 基本 is softer and usually means mostly or basic.