본

Korean

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [po̞n]
• Phonetic hangul: [본]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	bon
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	bon
McCune–Reischauer?	pon
Yale Romanization?	pon

Etymology 1

보복볶볷본볹볺 볻볼볽볾볿봀봁 봂봃봄봅봆봇봈 봉봊봋봌봍봎봏
볘 ←	→ 봐

Syllable

(deprecated template usage) 본 • (bon)

1. (deprecated template usage) A Hangul syllabic block made up of ㅂ, ㅗ, and ㄴ.

Etymology 2

Sino-Korean word from 本 (“root; origin; classifier for books”)

Noun

본 • (bon) (hanja 本)

1. root; basis
2. essence; nature; true self

   본인이세요?

   boniniseyo?

   Is this truly you?

3. source; origin
4. role model; model; example (shortened form of 본보기 (本보기, bonbogi))
5. a life-sized object made from a model for making beoseon or clothes
6. main; primary; principal

   본 회관 ― bon hoegwan ― main place of meeting

7. the place where the founding father was born
8. (only in compounds) book; written record
9. counter word for live trees and bushes

Synonyms

• (role model, model, example): 본보기 (本보기, bonbogi)
• (the place where the founding father was born): 관향 (貫鄕, gwanhyang)

Derived terms

(root; basis):

• 근본 (根本, geunbon, “root; basis”)
• 기본 (基本, gibon, “foundation”)
• 본말 (本末, bonmal, “the fundamental and the incidental”)
• 본질 (本質, bonjil, “essence; nature”)
• 초본 (草本, chobon, “herb”)

 

(essence; nature; true self):

• 본격 (本格, bon'gyeok, “authentic; genuine”)
• 본능 (本能, bonneung, “instinct”)
• 본명 (本命, bonmyeong, “heavenly stem and earthly branch associated with one's birth year”)
• 본분 (本分, bonbun, “one's bounden duty”)
• 본성 (本性, bonseong, “human nature; one's true color”)
• 본심 (本心, bonsim, “true feeling”)
• 본인 (本人, bonin, “you, true you, myself”)
• 본질 (本質, bonjil, “essence; nature”)
• 본체 (本體, bonche, “essence; nature; main body”)

 

(source; origin):

• 본관 (本官, bon'gwan, “family clan; the place where the founding father was born”)
• 본래 (本來, bollae, “origin; originally”)
• 본원 (本源, bonwon, “origin; source”)
• 본위 (本位, bonwi, “monetary standard”)
• 본자 (本字, bonja, “original letter”)
• 본주 (本主, bonju, “original proprietor, owner”)
• 부본 (副本, bubon, “duplicate copy”)
• 원본 (原本, wonbon, “original copy”)
• 일본 (日本, Ilbon, “Japan; Land of the Rising Sun”)
• 표본 (標本, pyobon, “specimen”)

 

(main; primary; principal):

• 본루 (本壘, bollu, “(baseball) home base; home plate”)
• 본부 (本部, bonbu, “headquarters”)
• 본사 (本社, bonsa, “headquarters; head office”)
• 본선 (本線, bonseon, “main line”)
• 본전 (本錢, bonjeon, “principal; original amount of money”)
• 본점 (本店, bonjeom, “head office”)
• 본조 (本朝, bonjo, “present dynasty”)
• 본토 (本土, bonto, “mainland”)
• 자본 (資本, jabon, “(economics, finance) capital”)

 

(book; written record):

• 각본 (脚本, gakbon, “scenario; screenplay; script”)
• 견본 (見本, gyeonbon)
• 독본 (讀本, dokbon, “book for reading”)
• 본문 (本文, bonmun, “text; passage; the body of a book”)
• 사본 (寫本, sabon, “copy”)
• 장본 (帳本, jangbon, “account book”)

 

Etymology 3

Borrowed from German Bonn.

Proper noun

본 • (Bon)

1. Bonn (a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany)

Etymology 4

Of native Korean origin.

Determiner

본 • (bon)

1. attributive form of 보다 (boda)

   한국에 가 본 적있어요?

   han'gug-e ga bon jeog-isseoyo?

   Have you ever been to (South) Korea?

Etymology 5

Korean reading of various Chinese characters.

Syllable

본 (bon)

1. 本: root; basis; source; origin

   (eumhun reading: 근본 본 (geunbon bon))
   (MC reading: 本 (MC pwonX))

References

• Supreme Court of the Republic of Korea (대한민국 대법원, Daehanmin'guk Daebeobwon) (2018). Table of hanja for personal names (인명용 한자표 / 人名用漢字表, Inmyeong-yong hanja-pyo). [1]