# 本 book / the real

木 (tree) + 一 (one/line radical)
★★★★★
5 strokes
JERK PN SYMBOLIC
JERK RADICAL: by itself, it means 'book', but most of the jukugo with the 本 kanji have to do with 'foundation.'

## Onyomi

HON |

## Mnemonic

| 本 is tree (木) plus one line. You can think of that extra line as the real, uh. . .hold on. . .. uh, the ground! The real estate the tree is growing in! Or, you can think of the line as a page of a book (made from a tree). Or you can just go home and take a bath. I don't care.

## Kunyomi

ほん | book LAZY ★★★★★

## Jukugo

本当(ほんとう) に | for realz. ★★★★★ 本 (book / the real) + 当 (hit the target) = 本当 (for realz.)
ｘｘｘ 本(ほん) | xxx cylinders ★★★★☆ COUNTER used for counting. Ippon is one book. Psyche! ISSATSU (一冊) is one book, ippon is one cylindrical object. Makes sense if you imagine that back when Chinese sages were inventing kanji, books were written on scrolls and shit。 Pronounced like this: 1: いっぽん、２： にほん、　３：　さんぼん、　etc.
本音(ほんね) | one's real feelings ★★★☆☆ CCW FP 本 (book / the real) + 音 (sound) = 本音 (one's real feelings) one's real feelings, as opposed to 建前　（たてまえ）. You know, the 2 faces that only Japanese people have, as if no one else in the world would dream of being so false, and all that bullshit.
本物(ほんもの) | the real thing, not a counterfeit. ★★★☆☆ KUNKUN 本 (book / the real) + 物 (animal / thing) = 本物 (the real thing, not a counterfeit.)
本来(ほんらい) | originally ★★☆☆☆ 本 (book / the real) + 来 (come/future) = 本来 (originally) originally, essentially , primairlyー Emphasizes the historical roots. Originally the EPA was supposed to protect the environment, but nowadays it's protecting the polluters!
本(ほん) ｘｘｘ | the real xxx ★★☆☆☆ PRE PREFIX meaning, 'the real xxx.' For example, 本人 means 'in person' (I saw Billy Idol in person at the Costco!).

## Used In

- 体

## Synonyms

fundamentals 根本的 本来 基本的 基盤 基礎
made in japan 日本製 日本の出身 日本の方