Translation and Meaning of: 基 - motoi

The Japanese word「基」(motoi) is rich in meaning and has an interesting etymology. In the Japanese language,「基」is often used to denote "foundation," "base," or "groundwork." The essence of this word is related to the idea of something that serves as support or a cornerstone for other structures or concepts. The pronunciation "motoi" in Japanese is an Onyomi reading, which is associated with the mentioned meanings.

Etymologically, 「基」 is composed of two main radicals: 「其」, which by itself does not have a specific meaning in modern language but contributes to the idea of location or position, and the lower part 「土」, which means "earth" or "soil". This composition suggests an idea of something that is found in the ground, serving as support, reinforcing the notion of "base" or "foundation".

When addressing the use of this word in the Japanese language, we find variations that amplify its meaning. For example, 「基づく」 (motozuku) means "to be based on" or "to be grounded," while 「基盤」 (kiban) refers to a "base" in the sense of platform or infrastructure. These variations demonstrate how a single kanji can generate several words, each with its own nuances, but all connected to the central idea of support or foundation.

The origin of the use of 「基」 dates back to ancient Japanese, where it was introduced through contact with Chinese culture, along with many other kanji. As the language evolved, 「基」 found its place in technical, scientific, and everyday contexts, becoming a vital part of modern Japanese vocabulary. In summary, the word 「基」 encapsulates both the cultural spirituality of being rooted in something solid and the practicality of being a widely applicable term in various disciplines.

Vocabulary

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Synonyms and similar words

• 根 (ne) - Root, origin
• 本 (hon) - Source, base, can also mean "book"
• 原 (gen) - Origin, source, may also refer to "field" or "plane"
• 基礎 (kiso) - Base, foundation
• 基盤 (kiban) - Base, foundation, underlying structure

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基

Romaji: motoi
Kana: もとい
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n3

Translation / Meaning: base

Meaning in English: basis

Definition: The original. origin.

Example Sentences - (基) motoi

See below some example sentences:

市民は社会の基盤です。

Shimin wa shakai no kiban desu

Citizens are the basis of society.

Citizens are the foundation of society.

• 市民 - citizens
• は - Topic particle
• 社会 - society
• の - Possession particle
• 基盤 - base, foundation
• です - Verb "to be" in the present tense

平等は人間の基本的な権利です。

Heidou wa ningen no kihonteki na kenri desu

Equality is the basic law of humans.

• 平等 - igualdade
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 人間 - Human being
• の - Particle that indicates possession
• 基本的な - fundamental
• 権利 - right
• です - Verb "to be" in the present tense

投票は民主主義の基本です。

Touhyou wa minshu shugi no kihon desu

Voting is fundamental to democracy.

Voting is the foundation of democracy.

• 投票 (touhyou) - voto
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 民主主義 (minshu shugi) - democracy
• の (no) - Possessive particle
• 基本 (kihon) - Base, foundation
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar in the present

掛け算は算数の基本的な四則演算の一つです。

Kakezan wa sansū no kihonteki na shisoku enzan no hitotsu desu

Calculus is one of the four basic arithmetic operations of arithmetic.

• 掛け算 - multiplicação
• は - Topic particle
• 算数 - aritmética
• の - Possession particle
• 基本的 - basic
• な - adjectival suffix
• 四則演算 - basic arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division)
• の - Possession particle
• 一つ - I'm sorry, but I need the text you would like me to translate. Please provide the content for translation.
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

文字は日本語の基本的な要素です。

Mojiretsu wa Nihongo no kihonteki na youso desu

The characters are the basic elements of the Japanese.

• 文字 (moji) - caracteres
• は (wa) - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• 日本語 (nihongo) - Japanese language
• の (no) - Particle indicating possession or relationship
• 基本的 (kihonteki) - basic, fundamental
• な (na) - Particle indicating adjective
• 要素 (yōso) - element, component
• です (desu) - verb to be in the polite form

栄養は健康の基本です。

Eiyou wa kenkou no kihon desu

A nutrição é a base da saúde.

• 栄養 - nutrição
• は - Topic particle
• 健康 - health
• の - Possessive particle
• 基本 - Base, foundation
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

私は毎月基金にお金を入れています。

Watashi wa maitsuki kikin ni okane wo ireteimasu

I put money on the investment fund every month.

I have money in the background every month.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• 毎月 (maitsuki) - adverb that means "every month"
• 基金 (kikin) - noun that means "bottom" or "investment"
• に (ni) - Particle indicating the target of the action
• お金 (okane) - noun meaning "money"
• を (wo) - Particle indicating the direct object of the action.
• 入れています (ireteimasu) - compound verb meaning "to put" or "to deposit" (in the present continuous)

私たちは推測に基づいて決定を下す必要があります。

Watashitachi wa suisoku ni motozuite kettei o kudasai hitsuyō ga arimasu

We need to make decisions based on assumptions.

We need to make a decision based on hunch.

• 私たちは - We
• 推測に基づいて - based on assumptions
• 決定を下す - making a decision
• 必要があります - Is required

繰り返すことは学びの基礎です。

Kurikaesu koto wa manabi no kiso desu

Repetition is the basis of learning.

• 繰り返す - repeat
• こと - thing
• は - Topic particle
• 学び - learning
• の - Possessive particle
• 基礎 - base/foundation
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present