根 — root
root; measure word (long things)
How to pronounce it
根 is read gēn. The tone is part of the word: with another melody you get another word, or just a jumble of sounds.
How to write it
On the left, 木 “tree”. The right part is the same as in 跟 gēn and 很 hěn.
Strokes go in order: top to bottom and left to right, horizontal before vertical. Tap a character to open its page, with the strokes shown large and the words it appears in. To train your hand, print a handwriting sheet for “根”.
Examples
Sentences from the course lessons with 根. Tap the sound icon to listen.
- 根据地图，车站就在前面。gēnjùdìtú,chēzhànjiùzàiqiánmiànAccording to the map, the stop is just ahead.
- 根据公司的要求我们八点上班gēnjùgōngsīdeyāoqiú,wǒmenbādiǎnshàngbānAccording to company requirements, we start work at eight.
- 我劝了他半天，他根本不听。wǒquànletābàntiān,tāgēnběnbùtīngI spent ages urging him, and he won't listen at all.
- 我根本不认识他wǒgēnběnbúrènshitāI don't know him at all.
- 我根本不相信他的话wǒgēnběnbùxiāngxìntādehuàI don't believe what he says at all.
- 我吃了一根香蕉。wǒchīleyìgēnxiāngjiāoI ate a banana.
More characters by topic — happiness, luck, strength, nature — on the page “Chinese characters with meanings”.
More words from the lesson “Trees and fruit”
Look up another word in the Chinese–English dictionary: in English, in pinyin or in characters.
Frequently asked questions
What does 根 mean?
根 (gēn) means “root; measure word (long things)”.
How do you write 根?
根 is 1 character. The stroke order of each one is shown step by step on this page.
How do you pronounce 根?
根 is read gēn. Tones: gēn — first tone. The page has a native speaker recording.
“root” in the lesson “Trees and fruit”
This word is from the topic “Animals, plants, colors” of HSK 5. In the lesson you hear it in a dialogue, build a sentence with it and say it out loud. Start for free, no sign-up needed.
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