基本 (jī běn) — basic in Mandarin
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#512 most common word · HSK 5 · CEFR B2
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
基本 is pronounced jī běn. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
Jīběn de yǔfǎ hěn zhòngyào.
Basic grammar is very important.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 基本 mean?+
基本 (jī běn) means "basic" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 基本?+
基本 is pronounced jī běn. 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 基本 in Mandarin?+
基本 is the #512 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 基本 fits
Every HSK 5 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.
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