本
measure word for books; root; volume
HSK level
- Pinyin
- běn
- Part of speech
- measure word
- Level
- HSK 1
- Strokes
- 5
- Register
- neutral
Stroke order for 本
本 is written with 5 strokes. The animation replays automatically.
What does 本 mean?
本 (běn) is the standard measure word for bound printed objects — books, notebooks, magazines, dictionaries, photo albums.
You always need a measure word between a number and a noun in Chinese, so 'three books' is 三本书 (sān běn shū), never 三书. Beyond the measure word use, 本 has older noun senses meaning 'root,' 'origin,' or 'edition,' which survive in compounds like 本来 (běnlái, originally), 日本 (Rìběn, Japan = 'origin of the sun'), and 课本 (kèběn, textbook).
For HSK 1, just remember 本 = the counter for anything book-shaped. English doesn't have measure words at all, so the habit of inserting 本 before 书 / 杂志 / 词典 takes deliberate practice for English speakers.
Example sentences
我有三本书。
Wǒ yǒu sān běn shū.
I have three books.
neutral
这本书很好。
Zhè běn shū hěn hǎo.
This book is great.
spoken
你想买几本？
Nǐ xiǎng mǎi jǐ běn?
How many do you want to buy?
spoken
那本书是我的。
Nà běn shū shì wǒ de.
That book is mine.
neutral
Common phrases with 本
Synonyms
册 is a more formal/written measure word for volumes of a multi-volume work or library catalog entries. Daily speech uses 本; 册 shows up on signs, library systems, and formal writing.
Don't confuse 本 with
FAQ
Acquire it by listening
Meet 本 again — in real Chinese, at your level.
Fluentide turns real news into Chinese listening at your exact level, so words like 本 show up again and again in natural sentences — with pinyin and translation every time. No flashcards. Free to start.