本真

本真

Chinese

		roots or stems of plants; origin; source roots or stems of plants; origin; source; this; the current; root; foundation; basis; (a measure word)	real; true; genuine
simp. and trad. (本真)		本	真

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): běnzhēn

  (Zhuyin): ㄅㄣˇ ㄓㄣ

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: běnzhēn
    • Zhuyin: ㄅㄣˇ ㄓㄣ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: běnjhen
    • Wade–Giles: pên³-chên¹
    • Yale: běn-jēn
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: beenjen
    • Palladius: бэньчжэнь (bɛnʹčžɛnʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pən²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ ʈ͡ʂən⁵⁵/

Noun

本真

1. inherent qualities; true nature

Adjective

本真

1. inherent; intrinsic; natural

Synonyms

• 本來面目／本来面目 (běnlái miànmù)
• 本性 (běnxìng)

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Japanese

Kanji in this term
本	真
ほん Grade: 1	ま Grade: 3
jūbakoyomi

Alternative spelling
本眞 (kyūjitai)

Etymology

Probably coined in Japan, as a compound of 本 (hon, “main, this, the current; real”) +‎ 真 (ma, “real, true, genuine”).[1]

Pronunciation

• Jūbakoyomi
• (Tokyo) ほんま [hòńmá] (Heiban – [0])[2]
• IPA^(key): [hõ̞mːa̠]

Noun

本(ほん)真(ま) • (honma) 

1. (chiefly Kansai) truth; reality
   • 1984 February 20 [Jun 15 1983], Murakami, Motoka, “父(と)っちゃが見(み)てるの巻(まき) [Pa’s Watchin’]”, in 六(ム)三(サ)四(シ)の剣(けん) [Musashi’s Sword], volume 10 (fiction), 4th edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN, page 86:

     鬼(おに)や！国(くに)彦(ひこ)はんはほんまの鬼(おに)やわ！

     Oni ya! Kunihiko-han wa honma no oni ya wa!

     You’re a cruel man! You really are a cruel man, Kunihiko-han!

Usage notes

Used attributively as a noun, taking the possessive particle の (no).

本(ほん)真(ま)の話(はなし)やで。

Honma no hanashi ya de.

It's a true story, I tell you!

Also used adverbially, taking the particle に (ni).

本(ほん)真(ま)に驚(おどろ)いたわ。

Honma ni odoroita wa.

I was really surprised.

References

1. 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
2. 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN