Chinese–EnglishWith examples

根

gēn · gen

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 4Old HSK 5Measure word guideMeasure word: 条 tiáo

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. root
  2. basis
  3. classifier for long slender objects, e.g. cigarettes, guitar strings
  4. radical (chemistry)
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In a conversation

0:20 cartoon

Corn on a stick

  1. Dengdeng

    老板(lǎobǎn)，我(wǒ)要(yào)两根(liǎnggēn)烤(kǎo)玉米(yùmǐ)，一人(yīrén)一根(yīgēn)。

    Boss, two roasted corn cobs, one each.

  2. Liangliang

    我(wǒ)的(de)不要(bùyào)辣(là)。

    Mine should not be spicy.

  3. Dengdeng

    你看(nǐkàn)，这根(zhègēn)比(bǐ)那根(nàgēn)大(dà)。

    Look, this one is bigger than that one.

  4. Liangliang

    那(nà)你(nǐ)给(gěi)我(wǒ)大(dà)的(de)那根(nàgēn)，你(nǐ)吃(chī)小(xiǎo)的(de)。

    Then give me the bigger one and you take the small one.

  5. Dengdeng

    好吧(hǎoba)，不过(bùguò)我(wǒ)刚才(gāngcái)看到(kàndào)，大(dà)的(de)那根(nàgēn)是(shì)辣(là)的(de)。

    Fine, but I saw earlier that the big one is spicy.

  6. Liangliang

    那(nà)还是(háishi)你(nǐ)吃(chī)大(dà)的(de)吧(ba)！

    Then you had better eat the big one!

Tap a word for its meaning in this line. The characters’ voices are computer-generated.

In a sentence

2 examples
01

请(qǐng)问(wèn)你(nǐ)可(kě)以(yǐ)给(gěi)我(wǒ)根(gēn)牙(yá)签(qiān)吗(ma)？

Could you give me a toothpick, please?

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

02

你(nǐ)一(yì)周(zhōu)吃(chī)多(duō)少(shao)根(gēn)香(xiāng)蕉(jiāo)？

How many bananas do you eat per week?

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

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Stroke order & practice

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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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