本字

běnzì
original form of a Chinese character

CEDICT

original character; etymological character

Wiktionary

一个字通行的写法和本义的字形不同，原来的字形称为「本字」。有别于假借字、俗字、别字等。如耑，为「端」的本字。《诗经．小雅．六月》：「薄伐玁狁，以奏肤公。」汉．毛亨．传：「公，功。」可知功为本字，公为功的借字。

重編國語辭典

汉字通行写法中本义原本的字形

維基詞典

Examples

我有本字典。

I have a dictionary.

Source: Tatoeba

这本字典是谁的？

Whose dictionary is this?

Source: Tatoeba

我想买这本字典。

I want to buy this dictionary.

Source: Tatoeba

这本字典是我的。

This dictionary is mine.

Source: Tatoeba

我能用这本字典吗？

Can I use this dictionary?

Source: Tatoeba

View more

Entry Composition

1 本 běn
  1. (bound form) root; stem
  2. (bound form) origin; source
  3. (bound form) one's own; this
  4. (bound form) this; the current (year etc)
  5. (bound form) original
  6. (bound form) inherent
  7. originally; initially
  8. capital; principal
  9. classifier for books, periodicals, files etc
2 字 zì
  1. letter
  2. symbol
  3. character
  4. word
  5. courtesy or style name traditionally given to males aged 20 in dynastic China

classifier: 個