基 means “foundation, base”

き · ki

Also: fundamentals, radical (chem), counter for machines

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

もと, もとい

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

キ

JLPT N1 · Taught in grade 5 · 11 strokes

The story

Earth (土) under 其, once a winnowing basket on its stand: picture the stand packed firm into the ground. 基 is a base: 基本 is the basics, 基準 a standard, and 基 counts heavy fixtures, like 一基 for a reactor or a tower.

Used in 基本 (kihon, basics), 基準 (kijun, standard), and 基地 (kichi, base)

More from Roots & Foundations

• 幹 trunk
• 源 source
• 拠 basis
• 盤 board
• 礎 cornerstone
• 軸 axis
• 概 outline
• 枢 pivot
• 芯 core

Learn 基 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.