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本 (běn): Root — Stroke Order & Writing Guide

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1.

Animated Stroke Order 本

Watch the stroke order, then trace it yourself.

How to write 本 — animated stroke order

13,010 learners practiced this

2.

Readings & Meanings

本has 2 distinct senses for the same pronunciation

běn
  • root; [measure word for books]
    mw.HSK 1HSK 3.0 · L1
3.

Stroke Order Diagrams 本

本 stroke order diagram
4.

Printable Writing Worksheet: 本

本 handwriting practice worksheet preview
Download full HSK 3.0 Level 1 PDF pack
5.

How to Use 本

Foundation and core concepts

In this group, 本 (běn) refers to basic, fundamental, or essential ideas like root, nature, or cost.

基本 • jī běn • basic; fundamental • HSK 5
HSK 5
6.

HSK Vocabulary: 本

课本 • kè běn • textbook
HSK 3.0 · L3
kè课
běn本
7.

Example Sentences

wǒ我
mǎi买
le了
liǎng两
běn本
zá杂
zhì

Information

Pinyinběn
Meaningroot; [measure word for books]
Strokes5
Radical木
Traditional本
StructureSingle Body
Frequency#152
Zhuyinㄅㄣˇ
UnicodeU+672C
CangjieDM
  • originally; this; current
    adv./pron.HSK 3.0 · L5
    • jī基
    běn本

    basic; fundamental

    根本 • gēn běn • root; basic; fundamental • HSK 5
    HSK 5
    gēn根
    běn本

    root; basic; fundamental

    本质 • běn zhì • nature; innate character; intrinsic quality • HSK 5
    HSK 5
    běn本
    zhì质

    nature; innate character; intrinsic quality

    成本 • chéng běn • cost • HSK 6
    HSK 6
    chéng成
    běn本

    cost

    Self and personal ability

    In this group, 本 (běn) relates to oneself or one's inherent skills and instincts.

    本领 • běn lǐng • capability; capacity; faculty • HSK 5
    HSK 5
    běn本
    lǐng领

    capability; capacity; faculty

    本事 • běn shi • skill; ability; talent • HSK 6
    HSK 6
    běn本
    shi事

    skill; ability; talent

    本人 • běn rén • oneself; in the flesh • HSK 6
    HSK 6
    běn本
    rén人

    oneself; in the flesh

    本能 • běn néng • instinct; native ability • HSK 6
    HSK 6
    běn本
    néng能

    instinct; native ability

    Books and editions

    In this group, 本 (běn) appears in words for books, notebooks, scripts, and editions.

    笔记本 • bǐ jì běn • notebook • HSK 3
    HSK 3
    bǐ笔
    jì记
    běn本

    notebook

    剧本 • jù běn • play; script • HSK 6
    HSK 6
    jù剧
    běn本

    play; script

    版本 • bǎn běn • edition • HSK 6
    HSK 6
    bǎn版
    běn本

    edition

    本子 • běn zi • book • HSK 3.0 · L2
    HSK 3.0 · L2
    běn本
    zi子

    book

    textbook

    本来 • běn lái • originally
    HSK 4
    běn本
    lái来

    originally

    本科 • běn kē • undergraduate course; regular college course
    HSK 5
    běn本
    kē科

    undergraduate course; regular college course

    基本上 • jī běn shang • basically
    HSK 3.0 · L4
    jī基
    běn本
    shang上

    basically

    本地 • běn dì • local
    HSK 3.0 · L5
    běn本
    dì地

    local

    原本 • yuán běn • originally
    HSK 3.0 · L6
    yuán原
    běn本

    originally

    志
    。

    I bought two magazines.

    wǒ我
    jì计
    huà划
    míng明
    nián年
    qù去
    rì日
    běn本
    lǚ旅
    yóu游
    。

    I plan to travel to Japan next year

    zhuō桌
    zi子
    shàng上
    fàng放
    zhe着
    jǐ几
    běn本
    shū书
    běn本
    。

    There are several books on the table

    zhè这
    shì是
    xué学
    xí习
    yīng英
    yǔ语
    de的
    jī基
    běn本
    fāng方
    fǎ法
    。

    This is the basic method for learning English

    zhè这
    běn本
    shū书
    hěn很
    yǒu有
    yì意
    si思
    。

    This book is very interesting.

    Related Characters

    Explore characters by relationship

    HSK Level 1

    Characters from the same exam level.

    • 大dàbig
    • 的deof
    • 点diǎno’clock; spot; dot
    • 都dōuboth; all
    • 读dúread aloud
    • 多duōmuch/many; how [+adjective]
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    Same Sound

    Characters pronounced "ben".

    • 笨bènstupid
    • 奔bènto run quickly; to hurry
    View all "ben" characters →

    Same Radical

    Characters with radical "木".

    • 榻tàcot, couch, bed
    • 桦huàtype of birch
    • 桓huánvariety of tree; surname
    • 札zháletter, note; correspondence
    • 楞léngused for Ceylon in Buddhist texts
    • 榷quèfootbridge; toll, levy; monopoly
    View all "木" radical characters →