# 基 — foundation; basis

基 means “foundation; basis”. It is a JLPT N3 kanji written with 11 strokes. On'yomi: キ (ki). Kun'yomi: もと (moto). You'll see it in words such as 基づく (motozuku, “to be based; to be founded”).

- Meaning: foundation; basis
- On'yomi: キ (ki)
- Kun'yomi: もと (moto)
- Strokes: 11
- Level: JLPT N3 · set Big ideas

## How to remember 基

A basket (其) set down on the earth (土): the foundation.

Parts: 其 basket · 土 earth

## Words with 基

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 基づく | もとづく (motozuku) | to be based; to be founded |

## Don't confuse it with

[塞](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/plug-up/) · [碁](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/go-board-game/)

## More in the “Big ideas” set

[件](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/case/) · [基](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/foundation/) · [由](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/derive-from/) · [然](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/as-it-is/) · [命](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/command/) · [存](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/be-aware/) · [才](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/talent/)

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From Moji Ninja (https://moji.ninja/), a free app for learning hiragana, katakana and the JLPT kanji from N5 to N1 with spaced repetition. Page: https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/foundation/. Last updated 2026-11-01.