About
The character 根, formed through the combination of the semantic component 木 representing wood or tree and the phonetic component 艮, originally conveyed the specific botanical concept of a plant's root. From this concrete foundation, its meaning gradually expanded to encompass abstract notions of origin, basis, or fundamental cause, as seen in derivatives such as 根源 indicating source or 根本 denoting essential principles. Structurally consistent over time, the character retains its initial compositional rationale, and this semantic progression from a physical object to a metaphorical staple illustrates a typical pathway in the maturation of Chinese vocabulary.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
大树的根很粗。
根据计划，我们明天出发。
水是生命的根源。
这根本不是问题。
我们要从根本上解决这个问题。
政府决心根除腐败。
只有找到问题的根源，才能有效应对。
这种观念已经根植于他们的文化之中。