Chinese–EnglishWith examples

本能

běn néng · ben neng

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 7–9Old HSK 6

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. instinct
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In a conversation

0:21 cartoon

Instinct is fast

  1. Liangliang

    哇(wa)！你(nǐ)怎么(zěnme)跳(tiào)起来(qǐlai)了(le)？

    Whoa! Why did you jump?

  2. Dengdeng

    一(yī)只(zhī)蜜蜂(mìfēng)飞(fēi)过来(guòlái)，我(wǒ)本能(běnnéng)地(de)跳开(tiàokāi)了(le)。

    A bee flew over. I jumped away by instinct.

  3. Liangliang

    你(nǐ)的(de)本能(běnnéng)真(zhēn)快(kuài)。

    Your instinct is really fast.

  4. Dengdeng

    对(duì)，本能(běnnéng)比(bǐ)脑子(nǎozi)还(hái)快(kuài)。

    Yes. Instinct is faster than thinking.

  5. Liangliang

    可是(kěshì)那(nà)不是(bùshì)蜜蜂(mìfēng)，是(shì)一(yī)片(piàn)叶子(yèzi)。

    But that was not a bee. It was a leaf.

  6. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)的(de)本能(běnnéng)需要(xūyào)眼镜(yǎnjìng)。

    My instinct needs glasses.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

大(dà)多(duō)数(shù)动(dòng)物(wù)都(dōu)有(yǒu)保(bǎo)护(hù)幼(yòu)仔(zǎi)的(de)本(běn)能(néng)。

Most animals have an instinct to protect their young.

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

02

动(dòng)物(wù)依(yī)靠(kào)牠(tā)们(men)的(de)本(běn)能(néng)行(xíng)动(dòng)。

Animals act on instinct.

Tatoeba: Chinese by DaoSeng · English by CM · CC BY 2.0 FR. Simplified Chinese conversion; Pinyin added or corrected.

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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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