본

본	U+BCF8, 본 HANGUL SYLLABLE BON

Composition:

ㅂ + ㅗ + ㄴ

← 볷
[U+BCF7]

Hangul Syllables

볹 →
[U+BCF9]

볘 ←	→ 봐
보 복볶볷본볹볺 볻볼볽볾볿봀봁 봂봃봄봅봆봇봈 봉봊봋봌봍봎봏

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

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

Noun

본 • (bon) (hanja 本)

root, basis
essence, nature, true self
본인이세요? ― boniniseyo? ― Is this truly you?
source, origin
role model, model, example (shortened form of 본(本)보기 (bonbogi))
a life-sized object made from a model for making beoseon or clothes
main, primary, principal
본 회관 ― bon hoegwan ― the main place of meeting
the place where a founding father was born
(only in compounds) book; written record
희귀본(稀貴本) ― a rare book
counter for live trees and bushes

Synonyms

(role model, model, example):

본(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 colours”)
본심(本心) (bonsim, “true feelings”)
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, “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, “capital”) (economics)

(book, written record):

각본(脚本) (gakbon, “scenario, screenplay, script”)
견본(見本) (gyeonbon, “sample, example”)
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”)

Determiner

본 • (bon) (hanja 本)

this, the item in question
본 연구 ― bon yeon'gu ― this research

본 사건 ― bon sageon ― the incident in question

Etymology 2

Borrowed from German Bonn.

Proper noun

본 • (Bon)

Bonn (an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, on the Rhine River; the former capital of West Germany and (until 1999) seat of government of unified Germany)

Etymology 3

Of native Korean origin.

Verb

본 • (bon)

past determiner of 보다 (boda)
한국 에 가 본 적 있어요?
Han'gug-e ga bon jeog-isseoyo?
Have you ever been to [South] Korea?

Etymology 4

Korean reading of various Chinese characters.

Syllable

본 • (bon)

More information

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]