gēn
racine; descendants; complètement; [mot de mesure pour les objets longs et minces]
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这棵树的根很深。
zhè kē shù de gēn hěn shēn.
The roots of this tree are very deep.
他把根号算错了。
tā bǎ gēn hào suàn cuò le.
He made a mistake in calculating the square root.
这个词的根源是什么？
zhè ge cí de gēnyuán shì shén me?
What is the root of this word?
根基 (gēnjī)
foundation
根源 (gēnyuán)
source
末 (mò)
end
梢 (shāo)
tip
The Chinese character 根 (gēn) for "root" is composed of two parts: 木 (mù) meaning "tree" and 斤 (jīn) meaning "axe". The original meaning of 根 was "the part of a tree that is cut off by an axe", which is the root. In ancient times, people used axes to cut down trees, and the part that was left in the ground was called the root.Over time, the meaning of 根 expanded to include the roots of plants in general, as well as the figurative meaning of "foundation" or "source". For example, the phrase 根深蒂固 (gēn shēn dì gù) means "deep-rooted", both literally and figuratively.The character 根 is also used in many Chinese idioms and proverbs. For example, the idiom 根深叶茂 (gēn shēn yè mào) means "a tree with deep roots and lush foliage", which is used to describe a person or organization that is strong and stable. The proverb 根深不怕风摇动 (gēn shēn bù pà fēng yáo dòng) means "a tree with deep roots is not afraid of the wind", which is used to encourage people to be strong and resilient in the face of adversity.In conclusion, the Chinese character 根 has a rich history and etymology, and it is used in a variety of ways in the Chinese language.
