根基 (gēnjī) — foundation, basis

根基 (gēnjī)

根基 combines the ideas of roots (根) and foundation (基) to refer to the deep, fundamental base upon which something rests. It is used both concretely (the structural foundation of a building) and metaphorically (the intellectual, moral, or social foundation of a system or person). It implies something deeply embedded and difficult to shake.

Meanings

1. [n] foundation, basis (the underlying support on which something depends)
2. [n] roots, grounding (a person's deep-rooted background or upbringing)

Example Sentences

家庭教育是一个人人格发展的根基，其影响往往延续终生。 Jiātíng jiàoyù shì yīgè rén réngé fāzhǎn de gēnjī, qí yǐngxiǎng wǎngwǎng yánxù zhōngshēng. Family education is the foundation of a person's character development, and its influence often lasts a lifetime.

这座千年古寺历经风雨而屹立不倒，在于其建筑根基的异常坚固。 Zhè zuò qiānnián gǔ sì lìjīng fēngyǔ ér yìlì bù dǎo, zàiyú qí jiànzhú gēnjī de yìcháng jiāngù. This thousand-year-old ancient temple has withstood wind and rain without falling because of the extraordinary solidity of its structural foundations.

动摇一个政权的根基，往往不是外部的攻击，而是内部合法性的侵蚀。 Dòngyáo yīgè zhèngquán de gēnjī, wǎngwǎng bùshì wàibù de gōngjī, ér shì nèibù héfǎxìng de qīnshí. What shakes the foundation of a regime is often not external attack but internal erosion of legitimacy.

扎实的数学根基对于日后从事理工科研究至关重要。 Zhāshi de shùxué gēnjī duìyú rìhòu cóngshì lǐgōngkē yánjiū zhìguān zhòngyào. A solid mathematical foundation is crucial for later pursuing research in science and engineering.

这家百年企业能够基业长青，在于其始终坚守诚信经营的文化根基。 Zhè jiā bǎinián qǐyè néng gòu jīyè chánqīng, zàiyú qí shǐzhōng jiānshǒu chénxìn jīngyíng de wénhuà gēnjī. The reason this century-old enterprise has remained evergreen is that it has always adhered to its cultural foundation of honest business operation.

语言是民族文化的根基，失去母语意味着失去一种独特的世界观。 Yǔyán shì mínzú wénhuà de gēnjī, shīqù mǔyǔ yìwèizhe shīqù yī zhǒng dútè de shìjièguān. Language is the foundation of a people's culture; losing one's mother tongue means losing a unique worldview.

Collocations

Usage Notes

根基 is more metaphorical and deeply embedded than 基础 (jīchǔ, foundation/basis), which is more commonly used in practical contexts (学习的基础, educational basis). 根基 suggests something deeply rooted that has developed over time, while 基础 can refer to something newly laid. 根基 also has a stronger sense of being hard to uproot: 根基深厚 (deeply rooted) implies long-standing solidity.

Compare 根基 with 根本 (gēnběn, fundamental/root): 根本 is more adverbial/adjectival, while 根基 is always a noun.

Memory Hook

根 (root) + 基 (base/foundation) — 根基 is the root-base, what has grown deep into the ground and cannot be easily uprooted.