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根本

gēnběn
adverb HSK 5 #342

Meanings

  1. 1 fundamental; basic; root
  2. 2 not at all; simply

Characters

根
gēn
root
本
běn
origin; foundation
Literally 'root and origin' - the most fundamental level.

Examples

HSK 1
他根本不知道。
Tā gēnběn bù zhīdào.
He doesn't know at all.
HSK 1
这是根本问题。
Zhè shì gēnběn wèntí.
This is a fundamental problem.
HSK 2
我根本没说过这话。
Wǒ gēnběn méi shuō guò zhè huà.
I never said that at all.

Tips

usage
根本 + 不/没 is a very common emphatic negation pattern meaning 'not at all' or 'absolutely not': 根本不可能 (absolutely impossible).

Stroke Order

根 gēn
本 běn