How common it is
根 appears often in everyday Chinese, so it is worth practicing early and reviewing often.
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Pronunciation focus
Say gēn slowly first, then repeat it in a short phrase. Listen for the tone shape.
Usage note
根表示植物的地下部分，也表示根本。
gēn biǎo shì zhí wù de dì xià bù fen， yě biǎo shì gēn běn。
根 means a plant's underground part and can also mean root or basis.
Context note
根常用于植物、原因和基础。
gēn cháng yòng yú zhí wù 、 yuán yīn hé jī chǔ。
It is often used with plants, reasons, and foundations.
5 examples
树根很长。
shù gēn hěn cháng。
The tree roots are long.
问题的根在这里。
wèn tí de gēn zài zhè lǐ。
The root of the problem is here.
这棵植物的根很强壮。
zhè kē zhí wù de gēn hěn qiáng zhuàng。
This plant's roots are strong.
我们要找到根本原因。
wǒ men yào zhǎo dào gēn běn yuán yīn。
We need to find the root cause.
他学会了词根。
tā xué huì le cí gēn。
He learned about word roots.
5 mini stories
树根扎得很深。
shù gēn zhā dé hěn shēn。
The roots went deep into the ground.
老师说，找根本原因最重要。
lǎo shī shuō， zhǎo gēn běn yuán yīn zuì zhòng yào。
The teacher said finding the root cause is most important.
这棵树的根保护着土壤。
zhè kē shù de gēn bǎo hù zhe tǔ rǎng。
The tree roots protect the soil.
他先看问题的根在哪里。
tā xiān kàn wèn tí de gēn zài nǎ lǐ。
He first looked for the root of the problem.
根稳了，树才长得好。
gēn wěn le， shù cái cháng dé hǎo。
If the roots are strong, the tree can grow well.