基本
HSK 4 (exam 2025)HSK 3 (2021)Old HSK 5
基本 (jīběn) · basic
基本 (jīběn) means “basic; fundamental; basically”. It is written with 2 characters: 基 (foundation) + 本 (measure word for books). It is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 基本 is built
The characters
基 jī · foundation
What 基 is made of
- 其qí — his
- 甘gān — sweet
- 卄niàn — twenty
- 二 — two strokes
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 八bā — eight
- 甘gān — sweet
- 土tǔ — earth
- 十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 十 — ten
Origin hint: 土 gives the meaning, 其 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
本 běn · measure word for books
What 本 is made of
- 木mù — tree
- 十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 八bā — eight
- 十 — ten
- 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)
Example sentences
这是最基本的问题。Zhè shì zuì jīběn de wèntí.This is the most basic question.
你会基本的汉语吗？Nǐ huì jīběn de Hànyǔ ma?Do you know basic Chinese?
Questions about 基本
What does 基本 mean?
基本 (jīběn) means “basic; fundamental; basically”.
How do you pronounce 基本?
基本 is pronounced jīběn.
Which HSK level is 基本?
基本 is in HSK 4 (exam 2025) and HSK 3 (2021) and Old HSK 5.
Related words
- 基本上jīběnshangbasically
- 基础jīchǔfoundation
- 基地jīdìbase
- 基金jījīnfund
- 基因jīyīngene
- 本子běnzinotebook
- 课本kèběntextbook
- 笔记本bǐjìběnnotebook
- 本来běnláioriginally
- 本领běnlǐngskill
Learn 基本 with its group
It is part of HSK 3 (2021) · Group 20: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.