本 — Book, Origin, Root

Meaning

本 packs a lot into five strokes: book, origin, root, main, and this (the present thing at hand). It also serves as a counter for long, thin objects — pens, bottles, rivers, trees.

Look at the kanji. It's 木 (tree) with a short horizontal stroke added at the base. That stroke marks the root — the foundation, the place where everything starts. From "root" came "origin," and from "origin" came "main" or "principal." Books joined the family because a manuscript held the root of knowledge.

This logic runs through the whole 本 word family. 本社 is the headquarters — the main office. 本人 is the person themselves — the one at the source. 本物 is genuine — the real-root thing, not a copy.

In Sino-Vietnamese, 本 is read BẢN. Vietnamese learners will recognize it immediately: bản chất (true nature), căn bản (fundamental), bản sao (copy), bản thân (oneself). These familiar words anchor the kanji's meaning from day one.

本 has 5 strokes, is taught in Grade 1, and its radical is 木.

Readings

On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings

On'yomi: ホン. This reading covers books, origin, and anything "main." Most 本 compounds use it.

本ほん (hon) — book
日本にほん (Nihon) — Japan ("origin of the sun")
本当ほんとう (hontou) — really, truly
本社ほんしゃ (honsha) — headquarters
基本きほん (kihon) — basics, fundamentals
本物ほんもの (honmono) — genuine, the real thing

日本 has two pronunciations: 日本にほん (Nihon) and 日本にっぽん (Nippon). Both are correct. Nihon is common in everyday speech; Nippon appears on official documents and in sports.

Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings

Kun'yomi: もと (moto) — origin, source, base. It points to where something comes from or what it rests on.

本もと (moto) — origin, source, base
本来ほんらい (honrai) — originally, by nature, from the start

Watch out for 元もと — same reading, close meaning. The difference: 元 describes a former state (元夫 = ex-husband). 本 as もと points to something foundational, not something past.

Common Words & Compounds

Books & Reading

本ほん (hon) — book
本棚ほんだな (hondana) — bookshelf
本屋ほんや (hon'ya) — bookstore
絵本えほん (ehon) — picture book
参考書さんこうしょ (sankousho) — reference book, study guide

Origin & Authenticity

本当ほんとう (hontou) — really, truly
本物ほんもの (honmono) — genuine, the real thing
本来ほんらい (honrai) — originally, by nature
根本こんぽん (konpon) — root, foundation
基本きほん (kihon) — basics, fundamentals

Main / Principal

本社ほんしゃ (honsha) — headquarters
本部ほんぶ (honbu) — main office
本人ほんにん (honnin) — the person themselves
本日ほんじつ (honjitsu) — today (formal)

Japan-related

日本にほん (Nihon) — Japan
日本語にほんご (Nihongo) — Japanese language
日本人にほんじん (Nihonjin) — Japanese person

Example Sentences

この本ほんはとても面白おもしろいです。

Kono hon wa totemo omoshiroi desu.

This book is really interesting.

本屋ほんやで新あたらしい本ほんを買かいました。

Hon'ya de atarashii hon wo kaimashita.

I bought a new book at the bookstore.

日本語にほんごの勉強べんきょうは本当ほんとうに楽たのしいです。

Nihongo no benkyou wa hontou ni tanoshii desu.

Studying Japanese is genuinely fun.

本棚ほんだなに何冊なんさつの本ほんがありますか？

Hondana ni nansatsu no hon ga arimasu ka?

How many books are on the bookshelf?

これは本物ほんものの金きんですか？

Kore wa honmono no kin desu ka?

Is this real gold?

基本きほんから学まなぶことが大切たいせつです。

Kihon kara manabu koto ga taisetsu desu.

Learning from the basics matters.

本人ほんにんが来きないと手続てつづきができません。

Honnin ga konai to tetsuzuki ga dekimasen.

The procedure can't be completed unless the person comes in themselves.

彼女かのじょは本来ほんらい、とても優やさしい人ひとです。

Kanojo wa honrai, totemo yasashii hito desu.

She is, at heart, a very kind person.

日本にほんの文化ぶんかはとても豊ゆたかです。

Nihon no bunka wa totemo yutaka desu.

Japanese culture is remarkably rich.

Related Kanji

Memory Tip

Picture 木 (tree) with a line drawn at its base. That line marks the root — the place everything starts from. Root → origin → foundation. And what holds the foundation of knowledge? A book.

The formula: 本 = tree + root mark = origin = book.

For Vietnamese learners: think of BẢN chất — your true nature, the essence beneath the surface. That's exactly what 本 points to: what's real, what's foundational, what can't be faked.