How to Write 础 (chǔ) — Meaning “Foundation”

Imagine a large stone (石) that you must "go out" (出) on top of to stand firmly — that stone is your foundation. This visual of stepping onto a solid rock base helps link the parts to the meaning of foundation.

The left radical 石 is narrow and tall, while the right part 出 is wider; keep the bottom of 石 slightly above the bottom of 出 to avoid a lopsided look. A common mistake is making 出 too small or writing the strokes of 出 too close together — each of its three vertical strokes should be evenly spaced.

础 means 'foundation' (as in 基础), while 矸 (gān) refers to waste rock in coal mining and is very rare, and 矻 (kū) is used only in the word 矻矻 meaning 'diligently' (like 矻矻终日). Visually, 础 has 出 on the right, 矸 has 干 (dry), and 矻 has 乞 (beg) — each has a different right-side component that changes meaning entirely.

础 is most common in the word 基础 (jīchǔ), meaning 'foundation' or 'basis' in education, business, or science, like 基础知识 (basic knowledge). Culturally, the Chinese emphasis on a solid 基础 in learning and skills reflects the traditional value of building a strong base before advancing.

Common words containing 础 include: 基础 (jī chǔ) — foundation / basis; 础石 (chǔ shí) — Foundation stone; 零基础 (líng jī chǔ) — zero foundation / beginner.