Writing
本能 (běn néng) — how to say "instinct" in Chinese
本能
Instinct, innate ability
noun · adverb
Character composition
本
root, origin, this
能
ability, can
Radicals / Keys
肉
Meat
#130 · ròu · 6 strokes
木
Tree
#75 · mù · 4 strokes
Collocations
本能反应
běn néng fǎn yìng
instinctive reaction
生存本能
shēng cún běn néng
survival instinct
Examples
人类的本能是保护自己和家人。
Human instinct is to protect oneself and one's family.
这是动物的本能。
This is an animal's instinct.
Frequently asked questions
Instinct meaning in Mandarin
"instinct" in Chinese is 本能 (běn néng).
本能 meaning in English
本能 (běn néng) means "Instinct, innate ability".
How is 本能 pronounced?
It is pronounced běn néng (written as ben neng, benneng). You can listen to the pronunciation on this page.
How do you write "instinct" in Chinese characters?
It is written 本能: 本 has 5 strokes, 能 has 10 strokes. The Writing section above animates the stroke order of each character and lets you trace it.
What HSK level is 本能?
本能 belongs to the HSK 6 vocabulary list.
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