基本的
kihonteki[kʲihõ̞nte̞kʲi]
The English word 'basic' can be translated into Japanese as 基本的 (kihonteki) or 基礎の.
Meaning: elementary, simple, merely functional (adj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 基本的 | kihonteki | [kʲihõ̞nte̞kʲi] (narrow) |
| 基礎の | kiso no |
The term 基本的 is used to describe things that are fundamental, essential or elementary in nature. It is frequently employed in academic, technical or instructional settings to refer to essential skills or fundamental principles.
Which one should you use?
Use 基礎の when you are referring specifically to the physical or conceptual foundation or base of something. In contrast, use 基本的 when describing qualities that are fundamental or elementary in nature.
How does it change in a sentence?
基本的 is a na-adjective. This means that when you use it to modify a noun directly, you must add な (na) between the adjective and the noun, such as in 基本的な技能 (basic skills).
How do you pronounce it?
kihonteki
Did you know?
- While English speakers use 'basic' to mean 'boring' or 'low quality', calling a person's skills 基本的 in Japanese is a purely neutral, professional observation.
- In Japanese martial arts like Karate or Judo, the 'basic' movements are called 基本 (kihon). Mastering these is considered a lifelong process rather than just a beginning stage.
- The component part 基 in 基本 originally referred to the 'foundation of a building' or a 'base of a pedestal'.
Examples in context
- この講座では応急手当の基本的な技能を教えます。This course teaches basic skills in first aid.This sentence is useful for learning how to use 基本的 to describe skills.Tatoeba #221971 by KK_kaku_, translation #59297 by CM
- Excel 2010の基本的な作業Basic operation with Excel 2010This sentence shows how to use 基本的 when describing operations.
- 直感的には、基本的な意味の最小単位は単語です。Intuitively, the basic atomic unit of meaning is a word.This sentence demonstrates the use of 基本的 in a linguistic context.Tatoeba #2452071 by Hirashiki, translation #2452068 by Hirashiki
- 基礎的な知識 (きそてきなちしき)Basic knowledge
- 初歩的な日本語 (しょほてきなにほんご)Basic Japanese
- 基本的なことだよ (きほんてきなことだよ)It's basic stuff
- 初級の日本語コース (しょきゅうのにほんごこーす)Basic Japanese course
- 日本語の基礎的な知識があります (にほんごのきそてきなちしきがあります)I have basic knowledge of Japanese
- この本は基本を扱っています (このほんはきほんをあつかっています)This book covers the basics
- 彼女は言語の基礎的な理解を持っています (かのじょはげんごのきそてきなりかいをもっています)She has a basic understanding of the language
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are discussing a new language course.
- 健太 Kentaこのクラスで基本的な文法を学びますか？Kono kurasu de kihonteki na bunpou o manabimasu ka?Will we learn basic grammar in this class?
- 結衣 Yuiはい、まずは基本的なことから始めますよ。Hai, mazu wa kihonteki na koto kara hajimemasu yo.Yes, we will start with the basics first.
- 健太 Kentaそれは安心しました。初心者なので。Sore wa anshin shimashita. Shoshinsha nanode.That's a relief. Since I'm a beginner.
- 結衣 Yui大丈夫です。ゆっくりやっていきましょう。Daijoubu desu. Yukkuriyatte ikimashou.It's okay. Let's take it slow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “basic” translations and entries 基本的, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 基本的, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
