基 — “base / foundation” in Japanese

Grade 5き, もと

Radical ⼟ · radical 32 The building block this kanji is filed under

“base / foundation” in Japanese is 基, read ki, moto (き, もと). It is a Grade 5 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 5 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 基本 (basics).

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What does 基 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	基
Meaning	base / foundation
Readings	き, もと
Grade	Grade 5 (Hard)
Curriculum	Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school
Example	基本 (basics)

How to read 基

基 is read ki (き) or moto (もと) depending on the word.

Words with 基

基本
基盤
基礎

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Kanji read the same way as 基

Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:

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Updated: 2026-08-28