基

jī

其 + 土

Definitions

jī (noun) base; foundation

jī (adjective) basic; fundamental

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 土 represents the meaning and 其 represents the sound.

Semantic: 土 Phonetic: 其

About

基 is a phono-semantic compound: the semantic component 土 (earth) at the bottom indicates the meaning, while 其 at the top provides the sound. The earth radical points to a solid, grounded base. Its original meaning is the physical foundation of a building, historically made of packed earth to form a stable base. From this concrete sense, it extended to abstract concepts: the basis, fundamental principles, starting point, or underlying infrastructure of any system, organization, or theory.

Etymology Hide

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这是我的基础。

Zhè shì wǒ de jīchǔ.

This is my foundation.

这是我们的新基地。

Zhè shì wǒmen de xīn jīdì.

This is our new base.

公司的基本规则必须遵守。

Gōngsī de jīběn guīzé bìxū zūnshǒu.

The company's basic rules must be followed.

他们的计划是基于科学的。

Tāmen de jìhuà shì jīyú kēxué de.

Their plan is based on science.

基础设施建设非常重要。

Jīchǔ shèshī jiànshè fēicháng zhòngyào.

Infrastructure construction is very important.

科学家正在研究这种基因的功能。

Kēxuéjiā zhèngzài yánjiū zhè zhǒng jīyīn de gōngnéng.

Scientists are researching the function of this gene.

这项政策的基调是促进发展。

Zhè xiàng zhèngcè de jīdiào shì cùjìn fāzhǎn.

The keynote of this policy is to promote development.

基于以上数据，我们可以得出初步结论。

Jīyú yǐshàng shùjù, wǒmen kěyǐ déchū chūbù jiélùn.

Based on the above data, we can draw a preliminary conclusion.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 其

Component: 土

基