根本 (gēnběn) — Fundamental in Mandarin
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#467 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
根本 is pronounced gēnběn. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
zhè shì wèntí de gēnběn yuányīn.
This is the fundamental cause of the problem.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 根本 mean?+
根本 (gēnběn) means "Fundamental" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 根本?+
根本 is pronounced gēnběn. 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 根本 in Mandarin?+
根本 is the #467 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 根本 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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