根 (gēn): root; basis; foundation

Meanings

1 root; basis; foundation
2 measure word for long thin things

Characters

根

gēn

root; basis; measure word for long thin things

Contains the wood radical 木, as roots belong to trees and plants.

Examples

这棵树的根很深。

Zhè kē shù de gēn hěn shēn.

This tree has deep roots.

给我一根筷子。

Gěi wǒ yī gēn kuàizi.

Give me a chopstick.

Tips

usage

根 is a measure word for long thin objects: 一根头发 (a strand of hair), 一根绳子 (a rope), 一根香蕉 (a banana). Also in 根本 (fundamental/at all).

grammar

根本 is very useful: as adjective it means 'fundamental', as adverb with negation it means 'not at all': 我根本不知道 (I had no idea at all).

Components

radical

木 mù

tree; wood

Left 木 (tree) — the indexing radical. Roots are tree-anatomy, so the wood-radical sets the semantic stage: 根 belongs with 枝 (branch), 叶 (leaf), 干 (trunk). The tree on the left, root meaning below ground, anchored to its source.

phonetic

艮 gěn

stubborn; immovable

Right 艮 supplies the sound (gěn → gēn, just a tone shift) and a strong semantic resonance: 艮 means 'stubborn, fixed in place' — exactly what roots do. Phonetic family: 跟 (heel), 痕 (scar), 很 (very) — all on 艮, all with a 'stuck-fast' nuance.