Chinese–EnglishWith examples

本性

běn xìng · ben xing

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 7–9

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. natural instincts
  2. nature
  3. inherent quality
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In a conversation

0:16 cartoon

Roasted sweet potato

  1. Dengdeng

    你(nǐ)不是(bùshì)说(shuō)今天(jīntiān)不(bù)吃(chī)甜(tián)的(de)吗(ma)？

    Did you not say you would skip sweet food today?

  2. Liangliang

    一(yī)闻(wén)到(dào)烤(kǎo)红薯(hóngshǔ)，我(wǒ)的(de)本性(běnxìng)就(jiù)出来(chūlái)了(le)。

    The moment I smell roasted sweet potato, my true self comes out.

  3. Dengdeng

    人(rén)的(de)本性(běnxìng)很(hěn)难(nán)改(gǎi)。

    People’s nature is hard to change.

  4. Liangliang

    那(nà)你(nǐ)呢(ne)？你(nǐ)手(shǒu)里(lǐ)也(yě)有(yǒu)两个(liǎnggè)。

    What about you? You have two in your hands too.

  5. Dengdeng

    好(hǎo)吧(ba)，我(wǒ)的(de)本性(běnxìng)也(yě)是(shì)爱(ài)吃(chī)。

    OK, my nature is to love eating too.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

好(hào)奇(qí)是(shì)哲(zhé)学(xué)家(jiā)的(de)本(běn)性(xìng)。

Wonder is the true character of the philosopher.

Tatoeba: Chinese by verdastelo9604 · English by erikspen · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

他(tā)本(běn)性(xìng)善(shàn)良(liáng)，只(zhǐ)是(shì)有(yǒu)时(shí)候(hou)脾(pí)气(qì)急(jí)。

He is good-natured by nature, just sometimes quick-tempered.

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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