Chinese word

根

Pronunciation

Pinyingēn

Meaning

  • nounroot

Example

这棵树的根很深，拔不出来。zhè kē shù de gēn hěn shēn bá bù chū lái

The roots of this tree are very deep and cannot be pulled out.

Illustration for 根 (root)

More examples

树的根帮助它吸收水分。shù de gēn bāng zhù tā xī shōu shuǐ fèn

A tree's roots help it absorb water.

Core concept

A concealed starting point that both sustains what appears above ground and provides the basis of a larger matter.

Common phrases

  • 树根shù gēn

    tree root

  • 牙根yá gēn

    root of a tooth

  • 根部gēn bù

    base

Similar words

根源gēn yuán: The underlying source or starting point from which a matter or problem develops.
原因yuán yīn: The reason or factor that makes a result or event happen.

Definition in Chinese

指植物的地下器官，负责吸收水分与养分并固定植株，也常用来表示事物的起点或基础。zhǐ zhí wù de dì xià qì guān fù zé xī shōu shuǐ fèn yǔ yǎng fèn bìng gù dìng zhí zhū yě cháng yòng lái biǎo shì shì wù de qí diǎn huò jī chǔ

Word origin

根 (gēn, "root") is formed from 木 (mù, "tree") + 艮 (gèn, "phonetic element"), where 木 signals the plant sense and 艮 signals the pronunciation; this literal meaning broadens to origin and basis.

Usage tips

  • In everyday problem talk, this word often points to the cause beneath visible trouble, helping distinguish solving the source from merely treating the result.

Other meanings

  • basenoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word