Dictionary › 本义

本义

běn yì

2-character word Traditional 本義

What 本义 means

1. original meaning
2. literal sense

The characters in 本义

• 本běn(bound form) root; stem; (bound form) origin; source; (bound form) one's own; this
• 义yìjustice; righteousness; meaning

Sounds the same

Read běn yì, tone for tone, but written differently.

• 本意original idea; real intention; etymon

Go deeper

• The four tones and the neutral tone, to read běn yì correctly.
• Look up another word in the free dictionary.