basic
basic — adjective
1. providing the main support or starting point that something else depends on
providing the main support or starting point that something else depends on
After the flood, clean water and blankets were basic needs.
collocation: basic needs
The course teaches basic rules before students write full essays.
Clear rules were basic to safety at the crowded swimming pool.
Reading is a basic skill for nurses filling out hospital forms.
- fundamental
more formal but very close in meaning
- essential
stresses that something cannot be left out
- central
focuses on importance within a system or discussion
- secondary
less important and not part of the main support
- peripheral
outside the main or necessary part
文法句型
basic to something
basic needs
basic skills
用法筆記
Often appears with nouns such as need, right, rule, and skill. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about easy or first-stage versions rather than importance.
常見錯誤
2. at an easy, early, or reduced level, without advanced features
at an easy, early, or reduced level, without advanced features
The app gives beginners a basic plan for each day.
basic + noun for a simple version
Before art school, Mia took a basic drawing course.
Lena asked for basic Spanish before her trip to Madrid.
The phone has a basic camera but no night mode.
- simple
the broadest everyday choice
- elementary
often used for first-stage learning
- introductory
common for first lessons or first information
文法句型
basic + noun
a basic version
basic English / math / plan
用法筆記
Usually describes beginner-level lessons, simple equipment, or stripped-down versions of something. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is about difficulty and detail, not what is most important.
常見錯誤
3. plain and unexciting, in a way that feels too common to impress people
plain and unexciting, in a way that feels too common to impress people
Her outfit looked basic beside the dancers' bright stage clothes.
informal negative comment on style
On TikTok, users called the beige kitchen basic and forgettable.
Compared with nearby stalls, our market banner looked basic and cheap.
Jake called the playlist basic because every song was already viral.
- distinctive
noticeably different in a good way
- striking
strongly catches attention
文法句型
look basic
sound basic
a basic design
用法筆記
Common in informal comments about fashion, taste, playlists, or design, and it usually carries criticism. Distinguish from sense 2, which can be neutral and simply mean easy or first-level.
常見錯誤
4. describing the amount of pay someone gets before bonuses, overtime, or other ext
describing the amount of pay someone gets before bonuses, overtime, or other extra money
Her basic pay rose in April, before any sales bonus.
basic pay before extras
At orientation, the contract listed basic pay and meal money separately.
Night-shift workers get extra cash on top of basic pay.
The job offers low basic pay but free housing.
文法句型
basic pay
basic salary
用法筆記
Almost always appears before pay or salary in contracts, job ads, and payroll discussions. The focus is the fixed starting amount, not the total amount a worker finally receives.
常見錯誤
5. used for a substance that acts like a base in chemistry, usually with a pH above
used for a substance that acts like a base in chemistry, usually with a pH above seven
Soap is basic, so it turns red test paper blue.
basic contrasted with test result
The lab marked the liquid basic after the pH test.
mark something basic
Under the sink, many kitchen cleaners are basic rather than acidic.
A basic solution can sting your skin if you spill it.
- acidic
having the qualities of an acid
文法句型
be basic
basic solution
basic liquid
用法筆記
Common in chemistry, especially with words like solution, liquid, and pH, and often contrasted with acidic. In general science writing, alkaline is often the more usual everyday synonym.
常見錯誤
6. describing igneous rock that is low in silica and rich in iron and magnesium
describing igneous rock that is low in silica and rich in iron and magnesium
The chart labels this dark lava rock basic, not acidic.
basic rock in geology
Geologists call basalt basic because it contains little silica.
pattern: call something basic
The wall chart compares basic rocks with pale, silica-rich granite.
Our field guide says the island's black lava is basic rock.
- mafic
technical geology term that strongly overlaps with this idea
- low-silica
describes the composition more directly
- acidic
used in geology for rock with higher silica content
文法句型
basic rock
be basic
用法筆記
Restricted to geology and usually used with rock or in descriptions of basalt-like material. Distinguish from sense 5, which is the chemistry use for substances with alkaline behavior.
basic — noun
1. the main ideas, parts, or skills that later learning depends on
the main ideas, parts, or skills that later learning depends on
The nurse explained the basics of wound care to Leo.
the basics of + subject
At scout camp, our first week covers the basics of map reading.
During dinner service, Chef Lin relied on the basics when the oven failed.
The video teaches the basics before the harder dance steps.
- fundamentals
a close and slightly more formal choice
- essentials
focuses on what is necessary, not on fine detail
- groundwork
stresses preparation for later work
文法句型
the basics of something
know the basics
用法筆記
Usually plural in the basics or the basics of + subject. The singular form is possible but much less common in everyday learner contexts.
常見錯誤
2. a computer language called BASIC that uses commands shaped more like ordinary En
a computer language called BASIC that uses commands shaped more like ordinary English
In 1985, my uncle wrote games in BASIC after school.
write something in BASIC
The museum computer still runs a small BASIC program.
BASIC program
On the classroom screen, our teacher showed how BASIC used English-like commands.
In the 1980s, many home computers came with BASIC already installed.
- computer language
the broad class that BASIC belongs to
- high-level language
technical label for a language closer to human wording than machine code
- machine code
a much lower-level way of writing instructions for a computer
文法句型
learn BASIC
write something in BASIC
用法筆記
Usually written in all capital letters because it is the name of the language. It commonly appears after verbs like learn, write, and run, often with in BASIC.