基础 (jī chǔ) — base; foundation; basis in Mandarin
🔊 Tap to hear it
#456 most common word · HSK 4 · CEFR B1
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
基础 is pronounced jī chǔ. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
Shùxué shì xuéxí qītā kēmù de jīchǔ.
Math is the foundation for learning other subjects.
Hear it, then say it right
Reading pinyin only gets you halfway. ToneDeck plays native audio for 基础 and thousands more words, then scores your pronunciation so your tones land. HSK 1 is free, no install.
Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 基础 mean?+
基础 (jī chǔ) means "base; foundation; basis" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 基础?+
基础 is pronounced jī chǔ. It uses the tone 1 (high flat), then the tone 3 (rising/dipping). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 基础 in Mandarin?+
基础 is the #456 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 基础 fits
Every HSK 4 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.
Words at a similar frequency
Master the tones first
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
Coming to iOS & Android
The mobile app is on the way. The trainer works right now.
ToneDeck for iPhone and Android is launching soon, and your progress syncs across every device. Meanwhile the full tone trainer runs in your browser today — no install, free to start.
Browse more on the Mandarin vocabulary hub, or read how to learn Mandarin tones.