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本 . In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
本 , but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
本 in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
本 you have here. The definition of the word
本 will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
本 , as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Translingual
Stroke order
Han character
本 (Kangxi radical 75, 木 +1, 5 strokes, cangjie input 木一 (DM ), four-corner 50230 , composition ⿻木 一 )
Derived characters
体 , 呠 , 𡊖 , 㤓 , 𢫆 , 泍 , 𠄯 , 𪰐 , 𪱻 , 㶱 , 𤙃 , 𦚄 , 𤱙 , 𬑊 , 𭿸 , 砵 , 𧙄 , 𬖓 , 絊 , 缽 , 𫯐 , 𬇸 , 𧦹 , 𧿾 , 躰 , 鉢 (钵 ), 𭝯 , 䬱 , 𩢕 , 骵 , 䱁 (𫚏 ), 𬬌
𭯓 , 𪼹 , 𮟄 , 翉 , 𩒅 , 𡭦 , 𡿶 , 苯 , 𥥑 , 𦊚 , 笨 , 𦤎 , 𤧆 , 𦱧 , 𬡩 , 𦏓 , 𭕕 , 㡷 , 𤵳 , 𪊜 , 𪎝 , 𩇶 , 㮺 , 𡇐 , 𣽵 , 𣒬 , 𣕢 , 𡽒 , 𬟰 , 𫖐 , 𣌃
References
Kangxi Dictionary: page 509 , character 7
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 14421
Dae Jaweon: page 891, character 2
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1151, character 1
Unihan data for U+672C
Further reading
Chinese
Glyph origin
Old Chinese
本
*pɯːnʔ
笨
*pɯːnʔ, *bɯːnʔ
苯
*pɯːnʔ
翉
*pʰɯːnʔ
体
*bɯːnʔ
鉢
*poːd
缽
*poːd
Ideogram (指事 ) : a tree (木 ) with its bottom highlighted with an extra stroke, accentuating the roots; contrast 末 , 朱 .
Etymology
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *(b/p)ul ( “ root; stump; tree ” ) (STEDT). Cognate with Mizo bul ( “ cause; beginning; root; stump ” ) , Jingpho phun ( “ tree; bush; stalk; wood ” ) , Garo bol ( “ tree ” ) .This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term. Schuessler 2007
Pronunciation
Mandarin
(Standard )
(Pinyin ) : běn (ben3 )
(Zhuyin ) : ㄅㄣˇ
(Chengdu , Sichuanese Pinyin ) : ben3
(Dungan , Cyrillic and Wiktionary ) : бын (bɨn, II)
Cantonese
(Guangzhou –Hong Kong , Jyutping ) : bun2
(Taishan , Wiktionary ) : bon2
Gan (Wiktionary ) : biin3
Hakka
(Sixian , PFS ) : pún
(Meixian , Guangdong ) : bun3
Jin (Wiktionary ) : beng2
Northern Min (KCR ) : bǒ̤ng
Eastern Min (BUC ) : buōng
Southern Min
(Hokkien , POJ ) : pún / pńg
(Teochew , Peng'im ) : bung2
Wu (Wugniu )
Xiang (Changsha , Wiktionary ) : ben3
Note :
běnr - “capital, principal; book; script; classifier for books, plays, films”.
(Chengdu )
(Dungan )
(Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
Cantonese
Gan
Hakka
Jin
Northern Min
Eastern Min
Southern Min
(Hokkien : Xiamen , Quanzhou , Zhangzhou , Jinjiang , Hui'an , Zhangpu , Longyan , General Taiwanese )
(Hokkien : Quanzhou , Jinjiang , Hui'an , General Taiwanese )
Note :
Quanzhou, Jinjiang, and Taiwan:
pún - literary;
pńg - vernacular.
Baxter –Sagart system 1.1 (2014 )
Character
本
Reading #
1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)
běn
Middle Chinese
‹ pwonX ›
Old Chinese
/*C.pˁəʔ/
English
tree trunk
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:
* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. * as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;
* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character
本
Reading #
1/1
No.
473
Phonetic component
本
Rime group
文
Rime subdivision
1
Corresponding MC rime
本
Old Chinese
/*pɯːnʔ/
Definitions
本
( of plants ) root ; stem
為 君子 擇 蔥 薤 ,則 絕 其 本 末 。 [Classical Chinese , trad. ] 为 君子 择 葱 薤 ,则 绝 其 本 末 。 [Classical Chinese , simp. ] From: The Book of Rites , c. 4th – 2nd century BCE Wèi jūnzǐ zé cōng xiè, zé jué qí běn mò. In selecting an onion or scallion for a gentleman, they cut off both the root and top.
枝 大 於 本 ,脛 大 於 股 ,不 折 必 披 。 [Classical Chinese , trad. ] 枝 大 于 本 ,胫 大 于 股 ,不 折 必 披 。 [Classical Chinese , simp. ] From: The Records of the Grand Historian , by Sima Qian , c. 91 BCE Zhī dà yú běn , jìng dà yú gǔ, bù zhé bì pī. When the branch is larger than the stem , or the shin is larger than the thigh, if it does not fall off, it will surely crack.
source ; origin ; root
努力 工作 是 成功 之 本 。 [MSC , trad. and simp. ] Nǔlì gōngzuò shì chénggōng zhī běn . Hard work is the ultimate source of success.
foundation ; basis
謙遜 是 美德 之 本 。 [MSC , trad. ] 谦逊 是 美德 之 本 。 [MSC , simp. ] Qiānxùn shì měidé zhī běn . Humility is the foundation of all virtue.
edition ; version ; copy
標點 本 / 标点 本 ― biāodiǎn běn ― punctuated edition
宋 本 ― sòng běn ― Song-era edition
originally ; initially
我 本 天上 鳥 ,常 留 五彩 雲 。今宵 風雨 惡 ,誤落 野鳥 群 。 [Korean Literary Sinitic , trad. ] From: 《與訪客詰拒》 by Kim Byeong'yeon (金炳淵 ), 1800sA bon cheonsang jo, sang ryu osaeg un. Geumso pung'u ak, orak yajo gun. [Sino-Korean ] I am originally a bird of the heavens, always staying amid the five-hued clouds. Tonight the rain and gusts were harsh, and I slipped and fell into this flock of wild birds.
current ; present
本 年 ― běn nián ― current year
本 財政 年 度 的 全部 投資 預算 已 用完 。 [MSC , trad. ] 本 财政 年 度 的 全部 投资 预算 已 用完 。 [MSC , simp. ] Běn cáizhèng nián dù de quánbù tóuzī yùsuàn yǐ yòngwán. We have already used up our total investment budget for the current fiscal year.
this ; here ; this very
本 人 ― běn rén ― I
戲精 本 精 / 戏精 本 精 ― xìjīng běn jīng ― drama queen him/herself
本 函 下面 所 示 系 Y 先生 的 簽名 。 [MSC , trad. ] 本 函 下面 所 示 系 Y 先生 的 签名 。 [MSC , simp. ] Běn hán xiàmiàn suǒ shì xì Y xiānshēng de qiānmíng. You will find the signature of Mr. Y. at the foot hereof .
capital ( money used in investment )
Classifier for books, periodicals, files. ⇒ all nouns using this classifier
一 本 書 / 一 本 书 ― yī běn shū ― a book
一 本 雜誌 / 一 本 杂志 ― yī běn zázhì ― a magazine
一 本 冊 / 一 本 册 [Hokkien ] ― chi̍t pún chheh [Pe̍h-ōe-jī ] ― a book
volume
( Korean Classical Chinese ) ancestral seat of a descent group
Synonyms
Dialectal synonyms of
本 (“(classifier for books)”)
Antonyms
Descendants
Others:
→ Thai: พื้น ( pʉ́ʉn , “ foundation, floor ” )
→ Vietnamese: vốn
Compounds
Further reading
Japanese
Kanji
本
(grade 1 “Kyōiku” kanji )
Readings
Compounds
Etymology 1
Pronunciation
Counter
本( もと ) • (-moto )
blades of grass and tree trunks
falcons
Noun
本( もと ) • (moto ) (counter 個 )
Alternative form of 元
Etymology 2
Counter
本( ほん ) • (-hon )
long cylindrical things such as glasses of drink, pairs of jeans, pens or trains and buses
films or TV shows
home runs or goals
rounds of a match in boxing , wrestling or judo
See also
Noun
本( ほん ) • (hon ) (counter 冊 )
a book
a script ; a scenario
source ; origin ; root
Prefix
本( ほん ) • (hon- )
current , this , the matter in question
本( ほん ) 大( たい ) 会( かい ) ― hontaikai ― this event; today’s competition
original , actual , base
本( ほん ) 山葵( わさび ) ― honwasabi ― real wasabi (as opposed to horseradish or other substitutes)
本( ほん ) 大( だい ) 臣( じん ) ― hondaijin ― the cabinet member (on whose behalf a proxy speaks)
References
Korean
Etymology
From Middle Chinese 本 (MC pwonX ). Recorded as Middle Korean 본 ( pwon ) (Yale : pwon ) in Sinjeung Yuhap (新增類合 / 신증유합 ) , 1576.
Hanja
Wikisource
本 (eumhun 근본 본 ( geunbon bon ) )
Hanja form? of 본 ( “ root ; basis ; foundation ; stem ” ) .
Hanja form? of 본 ( “ source ; origin ” ) .
Hanja form? of 본 ( “ main ; primary ; principal ” ) .
Hanja form? of 본 ( “ mind ; nature ; essence ; true self ” ) .
Hanja form? of 본 ( “ ancestor ; fatherland ; hometown ” ) .
Hanja form? of 본 ( “ counter for books ; book ; publication ” ) .
Hanja form? of 본 ( “ model ; version ” ) .
Hanja form? of 본 ( “ this ; this very ” ) .
Hanja form? of 본 ( “ ( finance ) principal ” ) .
Compounds
Compounds
본격 (本格 , bon'gyeok , “authenticity ; genuineness ”)
본격적 (本格的 , bon'gyeokjeok , “earnest ; real ; genuine ”)
본관 (本貫 , bon'gwan , “family clan ”)
본능 (本能 , bonneung , “instinct ”)
본래 (本來 , bollae , “origin ; originally ”)
본루 (本壘 , bollu )
본말 (本末 , bonmal , “the fundamental and the incidental ”)
본말전도 (本末顚倒 , bonmaljeondo , “put the cart before the horse ”)
본명 (本命 , bonmyeong , “heavenly stem and earthly branch of one's birth year ”)
본문 (本文 , bonmun , “text ; passage ; the body of a book ”)
본부 (本部 , bonbu , “headquarters ”)
본분 (本分 , bonbun , “one 's bounden duty ”)
본사 (本社 , bonsa , “headquarters ; head office ”)
본선 (本線 , bonseon , “main line ”)
본성 (本性 , bonseong , “human nature ; one 's true colour ”)
본심 (本心 , bonsim , “real intention ; true feelings ”)
본원 (本源 , bonwon , “origin ; source ”)
본위 (本位 , bonwi , “monetary standard ”)
본인 (本人 , bonin )
본자 (本字 , bonja , “original character ”)
본전 (本錢 , bonjeon , “capital ; funds ”)
본점 (本店 , bonjeom , “flagship shop ”)
본조 (本朝 , bonjo , “present dynasty ”)
본주 (本主 , bonju , “original proprietor ; owner ”)
본질 (本質 , bonjil , “essence ”)
본체 (本體 , bonche , “main body ”)
본토 (本土 , bonto , “mainland ”)
각본 (脚本 , gakbon , “scenario ; screenplay ; script ”)
견본 (見本 , gyeonbon )
근본 (根本 , geunbon , “root ; basis ”)
기본 (基本 , gibon , “basis ”)
독본 (讀本 , dokbon , “reader ”)
부본 (副本 , bubon , “copy ; duplicate ”)
사본 (寫本 , sabon , “copy ”)
원본 (原本 , wonbon , “original copy ”)
일본 (日本 , Ilbon , “Japan ”)
자본 (資本 , jabon )
자본주의 (資本主義 , jabonjuui , “capitalism ”)
장본 (帳本 , jangbon , “account book ”)
초본 (草本 , chobon )
표본 (標本 , pyobon , “specimen ”)
본고사 (本考査 , bon'gosa , “university admission exam ”)
References
국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전/電子字典 .
Okinawan
Kanji
本
(grade 1 “Kyōiku” kanji )
Readings
Compounds
Etymology 1
Noun
本( むとぅ ) (mutu ) (counter 個 )
Alternative form of 元
Etymology 2
Counter
本( ふん ) (-fun )
long cylindrical things such as glasses of drink, pairs of jeans, pens or trains and buses
くぬ二( に ) 本( ふの ) ぉ芯( しん ) ぬ折( をぅー ) りやっさん。 Kunu nifunō shin-nu ūriyassan. The lead in these 2 is easy to break.
films or TV shows
home runs or goals
rounds of a match in boxing , wrestling or judo
Old Japanese
Etymology
From Middle Chinese 本 (MC pwonX ).
Phonogram
本 (po1 )
Denotes phonographic syllable po1 .
本 那迦迩多知弖po1 -naka ni tat-i-t-e...stands in the middle of the fire...
Further reading
Vietnamese
Han character
本 : Hán Việt readings: bổn (布 ( bố ) 忖 ( thỗn ) 切 ( thiết ) ) , bản
本 : Nôm readings: vốn , bộn , bổn , bủn , bốn , vỏn , bỏn , bản , vón , bọn
chữ Hán form of bản ( “ basis ; origin ” ) .
chữ Hán form of bổn ( “ basis ; origin ” ) .
Nôm form of bốn ( “ four ” ) .
Nôm form of vón ( “ to clot ” ) .
Nôm form of vốn ( “ capital ; bond ; fund ” ) .
Compounds
References