Usage note
根本表示最基本、最重要的部分。
gēn běn biǎo shì zuì jī běn 、 zuì zhòng yào de bù fen。
根本 means the most basic or important part.
Context note
根本常用于问题、原因和判断。
gēn běn cháng yòng yú wèn tí 、 yuán yīn hé pàn duàn。
It is often used with problems, reasons, and judgments.
5 examples
这不是根本问题。
zhè bú shì gēn běn wèn tí。
This is not the fundamental problem.
根本原因还没找到。
gēn běn yuán yīn hái méi zhǎo dào。
The root cause has not been found yet.
他根本不知道。
tā gēn běn bù zhī dào。
He simply does not know at all.
根本不用担心。
gēn běn bú yòng dān xīn。
There is no need to worry at all.
学习根本在于坚持。
xué xí gēn běn zài yú jiān chí。
The foundation of learning lies in persistence.
5 mini stories
老师让大家先找根本原因。
lǎo shī ràng dà jiā xiān zhǎo gēn běn yuán yīn。
The teacher asked everyone to find the root cause first.
他说根本不难，只要认真。
tā shuō gēn běn bù nán， zhǐ yào rèn zhēn。
He said it is not difficult at all, as long as you are serious.
根本问题解决了，事情就顺了。
gēn běn wèn tí jiě jué le， shì qíng jiù shùn le。
Once the fundamental problem is solved, things go smoothly.
她根本没听懂。
tā gēn běn méi tīng dǒng。
She simply did not understand at all.
这个方法抓住了根本。
zhè ge fāng fǎ zhuā zhù le gēn běn。
This method gets to the heart of the matter.
Mini dialogue
听不懂
A
你听懂老师的话了吗？
Nǐ tīng dǒng lǎoshī de huà le ma?
Did you understand what the teacher said?
B
我根本听不懂，太难了。
Wǒ gēnběn tīng bù dǒng, tài nán le.
I didn't understand it at all. It's too difficult.
找东西
A
你找到你的铅笔了吗？
Nǐ zhǎodào nǐ de qiānbǐ le ma?
Did you find your pencil?
B
没有，我根本不知道放在哪里了。
Méiyǒu, wǒ gēnběn bù zhīdào fàng zài nǎlǐ le.
No, I have no idea at all where I put it.
Related words and contrasts
similar
完全
wán quán
completely
根本 can mean 'at all' in negative sentences, similar to 完全不 (not at all).
contrast
基本
jī běn
basic, fundamental
根本 means fundamental or basic, but 基本 is more common for 'basic'.