Hanzi

本

root/stem/origin/source/this/the current/original/inherent/originally/classifier for books, periodicals, files etc

Hanzi

Grade

Grade 1

Pinyin

běn, bēn

Bopomofo

ㄅㄣˇ, ㄅㄣ

Jyutping

bun2

Example sentences

基本 jīběn
食物和水是生活的基本需求。

Food and water are basic necessities of life.

他人 tārén
尊重他人的隱私是基本的禮貌。
尊重他人的隐私是基本的礼貌。

Respecting others' privacy is basic politeness.

日本 rìběn
去年夏天，我和家人一起去日本旅遊。
去年夏天，我和家人一起去日本旅游。

Last summer, my family and I went to Japan for a trip.

移民 yímín
他的父母是來自日本的移民。
他的父母是来自日本的移民。

His parents are immigrants from Japan.

本 běn
我買了一本書。
我买了一本书。

I bought a book.

萬 / 万 wàn
他讀了一萬多本書。
他读了一万多本书。

He has read over ten thousand books.

本人 běnrén
這件事本人會親自處理。
这件事本人会亲自处理。

I will handle this matter personally.

肖 xiào
這幅畫的神情畢肖，連眼神都很像本人。
这幅画的神情毕肖，连眼神都很像本人。

The expression in this painting is so lifelike that even the eyes look like the real person.

本來 / 本来 běnlái
我本來打算當醫生。
我本来打算当医生。

I originally planned to be a doctor.

不料 bùliào
我本來想出門，不料下雨了。
我本来想出门，不料下雨了。

I originally planned to go out, but unexpectedly it started raining.

Example Vocabulary

基本

ji1'ben3

basic; fundamental

日本

ri4'ben3

Japan

本

ben3

measure word for books; root; origin

本人

ben3'ren2

I (myself); oneself; the person in question

本來

ben3'lai2

originally; at first; of course

副本

fu4'ben3

劇本

ju4'ben3

script; play; scenario

原本

yuan2'ben3

originally; original version; primary copy

基本上

ji1'ben3'shang4

basically; on the whole; fundamentally

墨爾本

Sottaku

About Sottaku

Sottaku is an app for learning Chinese, Japanese, Korean, English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian with a strong focus on SRS. It includes automatic flashcard creation for hundreds of thousands of words, grammar breakdowns in example sentences, language-specific study packs where available, adaptive quizzes, mobile apps, a browser extension, and community features. Give it a try now! All learning content is free with no limits on flashcards or study time.

Sottaku is built to match the habits of successful learners. By using Sottaku, you will naturally learn in the most efficient way possible, as proven by countless success stories in the language learning community.

Free Sign Up

Free Forever

Access all grammar guides, quizzes, and flashcards without paying a cent. Quality education should be accessible to everyone.

Smart SRS System

Our flashcard system uses the FSRS algorithm (also used in Anki) to optimize your review schedule and maximize retention.

Comprehensive Content

From hanzi, kana, hangul, and European vocabulary basics to grammar and reading practice where available, we have lessons for every level. Practice with quizzes tailored to your skill.

Community Chat

Ask level-appropriate questions and get help from the community. Learn together with fellow learners across all 8 supported languages.