📗 Beginner — frequent in early HSK exams
Meaning
Classifier for books, notebooks, magazines, and other bound publications.
🏮 Cultural Story
中文 Chinese
"本"最初意思是"树根"！引申为"根本/基础"("本来")，再演变成书籍量词。古代书是竹简/木牍装订成的，每册像树根一样扎实完整。"一本正经"字面="一本正经的书"=像正式出版物一样严肃。日本语韩语都借用此字，整个东亚文化圈都用"本"数书！
English
**本 (běn)** originally meant "tree root!" Evolved to "foundation" (本来), then book classifier. Ancient books were bound bamboo slips — solid like roots. "一本正经" = serious as a published book. Japanese/Korean both borrowed this — whole East Asia uses 本 for books!
💡 Memory Tip
本 is for anything bound like a book. Book = 本!
Examples
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YouGlish
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Classifier for books, notebooks, magazines, and other bound publications.