基础 (jīchǔ)

基础 refers to the foundational knowledge, skills, or physical structure upon which something more advanced is built.

Meanings

[noun] Foundation; basis; groundwork; base; fundamentals.

Example Sentences

学好数学需要打好基础。 Xué hǎo shùxué xūyào dǎ hǎo jīchǔ. Learning mathematics well requires building a solid foundation.

这栋楼的基础非常牢固。 Zhè dòng lóu de jīchǔ fēicháng láogù. The foundation of this building is very solid.

没有良好的语言基础很难阅读专业文章。 Méiyǒu liánghǎo de yǔyán jīchǔ hěn nán yuèdú zhuānyè wénzhāng. Without a good language foundation it is difficult to read professional articles.

两国关系建立在互信的基础上。 Liǎng guó guānxi jiànlì zài hùxìn de jīchǔ shàng. The relationship between the two countries is built on a foundation of mutual trust.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
打好基础	to build a solid foundation
基础知识	foundational knowledge
在...基础上	on the basis of...
基础教育	basic/fundamental education
扎实基础	solid foundation

Usage Notes

基础 often appears in the pattern 在...的基础上 (on the basis of ...), which is extremely common in formal writing. 打基础 or 打好基础 (to lay a foundation) is common in educational contexts. The adjective 基础性 (foundational/basic) derives from this word.

Memory Hook

基 means "foundation/base" (showing a building's base) and 础 contains the stone radical, reinforcing the idea of a stone base — together they mean a solid stone foundation.