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本

本 (běn) Chinese Character: root; origin; book measure word

5 strokes · HSK 1 · Radical 木

The extra short line marks the root at the bottom of 木.

Practice 本 in the interactive lesson

Chinese character story: A Mark Pointing to the Root

Start with 木, “tree,” then look at the short line near its base. That mark points to the root, so 本 (běn) came to mean “root” or “origin.” In beginner Chinese, its most useful job is counting bound books: 一本书 is “one book,” and 三本书 is “three books.”

🧩 Word buildingSee what every part contributes

Chinese words often combine short meaning clues. Fixed expressions are clearly marked so you do not translate them too literally.

一本书
一one本measure word for books书book=one book
本人
本this or oneself人person=the person themself

Chinese character origin and etymology

本 is an indicative character: a short mark added at the base of 木 points to the root. Its meanings expanded from root and origin to “this” and the measure word used for books.

The character 木 gains one short horizontal mark near the bottom. 本 contains 木 and 一. These parts act like clues: a component may suggest a meaning category, a pronunciation, or simply preserve part of the character's historical structure.

Chinese character stroke order and structure

本 is written with 5 strokes. Learn the complete stroke sequence in the interactive lesson, then write the character from memory before checking your answer.

  • 木 — tree — the main shape supplies the concrete image
  • 一 — a short mark points to the tree’s root or base

Common usage and sentence patterns

The examples below show 本 in complete beginner-friendly sentences. Read each sentence aloud, notice where the character appears, and then replace one noun or number to create a new sentence of your own.

这是一本书。 Zhè shì yì běn shū. This is a book.
我有三本书。 Wǒ yǒu sān běn shū. I have three books.
这本书很好。 Zhè běn shū hěn hǎo. This book is very good.

Learning tips for 本

Learn the reading as one unit: běn, with the third tone: falling then rising. Avoid memorizing the letters without the tone mark. Say the syllable, recall the English meaning “root; origin; book measure word,” and write the 5 strokes from memory.

Because 本 contains reusable components, identify those clues before memorizing the whole shape. Compare it with 木 (mù, tree, wood); 一 (yī, one; the marking stroke). Similar characters are easier to remember when their different parts and meanings are studied side by side.

Quick review checklist

  • Can you recognize 本 without pinyin?
  • Can you say běn with the correct tone and explain “root; origin; book measure word”?
  • Can you write all 5 strokes in order?
  • Can you use 本 in one short sentence?

Related characters

Continue learning Chinese characters

Use the Chinese radicals and components guide to understand reusable parts, the stroke order guide to improve handwriting, and the HSK 1 character overview to choose your next beginner lesson.

Sources and editorial note

HanziStory separates documented character history from modern memory stories. Historical-form images are shown only when a matching source file is available; missing stages are skipped rather than invented. Stroke practice uses HanziWriter data.

Last updated: August 12, 2026. Read our sources, editorial method, and correction policy.