本 (běn) · measure word for books

本 (běn) means “measure word for books”. It is made of 木 + 一 and has 5 strokes, and is an HSK 1 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).

Break 本 into its parts

What 本 is made of

• 木 mù — tree
  • 十 — ten
    • 一 — horizontal stroke
    • 丨 — vertical stroke
  • 八 bā — eight
• 一 — horizontal stroke

Origin hint: A tree 木 with its roots highlighted (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

本 stroke order

Example sentences

Words with 本

• 本子běnzinotebook
• 课本kèběntextbook
• 笔记本bǐjìběnnotebook
• 本来běnláioriginally
• 本领běnlǐngskill
• 本事běnshiability
• 根本gēnběnat all (in negatives)
• 基本jīběnbasic
• 基本上jīběnshangbasically
• 本科běnkēundergraduate
• 本质běnzhìessence
• 版本bǎnběnversion
• 本能běnnénginstinct
• 本钱běnqiáncapital (money)
• 本人běnrénoneself
• 本身běnshēnitself
• 标本biāoběnspecimen
• 成本chéngběncost (of production)
• 剧本jùběnscript
• 资本zīběncapital (money)

Also built with 木

• 休xiūrest
• 呆dāidull
• 困kùnsleepy
• 床chuángbed
• 未wèinot yet
• 末mòend
• 术shùskill
• 朴pǔplain
• 朵duǒmeasure word for flowers and clouds
• 机jīmachine
• 朽xiǔdecayed
• 杀shāto kill

Quick facts

Questions about 本