(běn) - measure word for books; originally, this in Mandarin
běnTraditional: 本
Translation
measure word for books; originally, this
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Word origin
本 is an indicative character: it shows the pictograph 木 'tree' with a short stroke marking the lower part, pointing to the root or base of the tree. From 'root' it extended to senses of origin, basis, and (as a measure word) bound volumes.
- Origin
- ideograph
- Root
- 木 (tree) with a stroke marking the root
Stroke order
本
Examples
。
I have three books.
。
This magazine is interesting.
。
I personally was not aware.
。
I bought a new book.
。
There are three magazines on the table.
Where this fits
Appears in 3 words
Multi-character compounds in the corpus that contain 本.
Used in
Stories
(1)Grammar articles
(42)Advanced Mandarin Grammar (C1-C2, HSK 6): What Changes
Mandarin Aspect Markers: 了, 过, 在 and 着 Instead of Tense
Mandarin 把 (bǎ) Construction: Rules, Examples, Mistakes
Not Only... But Also in Mandarin: 不但...而且
Mandarin Grammar Cheatsheet: The Essentials, One Page
Mandarin 除了...以外: Except, or Besides?
Mandarin Measure Words (Classifiers): The Core 12 and 个
Mandarin Co-verbs: 从, 到, 在, 用, 给, 离 as Prepositions
Mandarin Directional Complements: 走出来, 拿出去, 站起来
Mandarin Verb Conjugation: Why There Isn't Any
How Tall, How Far in Mandarin: 多高, 多远, 多大 With 多
Mandarin Demonstratives: 这 (zhè) and 那 (nà) With Examples
对 (duì) in Mandarin: 对…来说, To Someone, and 对…感兴趣
Even Though and Even If in Mandarin: 虽然, 即使, 就算
There Is in Mandarin: 有, 来了一个人, 出现 and 发生
Mandarin 过 (guo): Saying You Have Ever Done Something
Intermediate Mandarin Grammar (B1-B2, HSK 4-5)
Mandarin Interrogative Pronouns: 谁, 什么, 哪 and 'Anyone'
就 (jiù) vs 才 (cái) in Mandarin: Early vs Late
How to Use 了 (le) in Mandarin: Completion vs Change
Mandarin 在 vs 有: Location, Existence and 上/下/里
Mandarin Noun Suffixes 子, 家 and 员: Things, Experts and Members
Mandarin Time, Dates and Money: 点, 年月日 and 块
Mandarin Spoken Passives: 让 (ràng), 叫 (jiào) and 给 (gěi)
Possession in Mandarin: 的 (de) for My, Your and His
Mandarin Possession with 有 (yǒu): To Have
Mandarin Relative Clauses: The Clause Goes Before 的
Mandarin Imperatives and Polite Requests: 请, 别, 吧
Mandarin Resultative Complements: 看见, 吃完, 找到
Mandarin Serial Verbs: 我去商店买东西 and Verb Order
The Mandarin 是…的 (shì...de) Construction: When, Where, How
Mandarin 所 (suǒ): 所有, 所谓, 所 + Verb and 为...所
The Three de in Mandarin: 的 vs 得 vs 地
Mandarin Topic-Comment Structure: Fronting the Object
Mandarin Verb Reduplication: 看看, 看一看 and 一下
Mandarin Verbal Measure Words: 次, 遍, 下, 趟, 顿
Chinese Sentence Structure: Mandarin Word Order Rules
喜欢 vs 爱: Saying You Like or Love Something in Mandarin
Mandarin 以 (yǐ): 以为, 以及, 以便, 以免 and 以来
The Mandarin 于 (yú) Family: 对于, 关于, 由于, 至于, 属于, 位于, 终于
The Mandarin Suffix 者 (zhě): 作者, 读者, 记者
Mandarin 之 (zhī): 之一, 之间, 三分之一 and 总之
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Mandarin · Free printables
本: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "本" (measure word for books; originally, this): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
This word is taught in chapter 9, lesson 10: 本, 加油, 方法 and 7 more words.