基 jī — base; foundation; basic; radical (chem.)
学好基础知识很重要。Xué hǎo jī chǔ zhī shi hěn zhòng yào.It is important to master the basic knowledge.
Common words: 基本 (jī běn)、基础 (jī chǔ)、基本上 (jī běn shang)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "foundation"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "foundation", including 基 (jī), 础 (chǔ). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "foundation" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 基 (jī), 础 (chǔ) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span jī, chǔ — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 基 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 基 jībase; foundation; basic; radical (chem.)Useful words: 基本, 基础
- 础 chǔfoundation; baseUseful words: 基础, 基础病
Common words for these 2 "foundation" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 基 (jī) — so "foundation" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "foundation".
础 chǔ — foundation; base
数学是很多学科的基础。Shù xué shì hěn duō xué kē de jī chǔ.Mathematics is the foundation of many subjects.
Common words: 基础 (jī chǔ)、基础病 (jī chǔ bìng)、理论基础 (lǐ lùn jī chǔ)
All 2 characters
Open 基、础 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.