Kilo Lingo

(gēn běn) - at all, fundamentally; fundamental, basic in Mandarin

gēnběn

Traditional: 根本

Line drawing of 根本
Coloured illustration of 根本
HSK 4
#379 of 5,000 Core 1000

Translation

at all, fundamentally; fundamental, basic

Word origin

A compound of 跟 (gen) 'heel; root' and 本 (ben) 'root, base', the latter a 木 'tree' marked with a stroke at its base to indicate the root. Literally 'the root', hence 'fundamental; at all'.

Origin
compound
Root
跟 (gen, 'heel, root') + 本 (ben, 'root', 木 tree marked at the base)

Stroke order

Stroke order for 根

Stroke order for 本

Examples

I didn't know at all.

This is fundamentally not true.

The fundamental issue is trust.

I do not know him at all.

This is simply impossible.

根本 (gēn běn) - at all, fundamentally; fundamental, basic.

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This word is part of lesson 8.