本: This in Formal Reference in Chinese
本
本 is a formal demonstrative placed directly before an institutional, documentary, or local noun to mean this or the present one, as in 本市 and 本人. It forms one noun phrase with that noun, does not take aspect particles, and should not be stacked with another demonstrative such as 这.
Published July 23, 2026
Reviewed July 23, 2026
01 / PATTERN
See the Structure
MODEL
本 + Institution / Document / Place noun
Read the structure
本 is a formal demonstrative placed directly before an institutional, documentary, or local noun to mean this or the present one, as in 本市 and 本人. It forms one noun phrase with that noun, does not take aspect particles, and should not be stacked with another demonstrative such as 这. Keep the model 本 + Institution / Document / Place noun visible while you compare each sentence.
本校下周开始放假。
This school begins its vacation next week.
Choose the right context
Refer formally to the present institution: 本校。 Refer to the current document or event: 本合同、本次会议。 Use 本人 for a formal self-reference.
本人同意以上安排。
I formally agree to the arrangements above.
Respect the boundary
Do not use it as the classifier 本 for books in this pattern. Do not attach 了 to 本. Do not stack 本 with 这 before the same noun.
本了校下周放假。
(This-le school has vacation next week.)
Repair the pattern
An aspect particle is attached to the demonstrative: 本 is a pre-nominal demonstrative and cannot take the aspect particle 了. Two demonstratives are stacked before one noun: 本 and 这 cannot both determine the same 次会议 noun phrase.
本校下周放假。
Use the repaired structure without changing the intended meaning.
02 / MAP
Read the Sentence
Read from left to right and notice the job performed by each part. The labels describe this example; they are not a rule that every Chinese sentence must copy.
本校下周开始放假。
This school begins its vacation next week.
本校
本
This part occupies the 本 position in the model pattern.
下周
Institution / Document / Place noun
This part occupies the Institution / Document / Place noun position in the model pattern.
开始
本
This part occupies the 本 position in the model pattern.
放假
Institution / Document / Place noun
This part occupies the Institution / Document / Place noun position in the model pattern.
03 / EXAMPLES
Examples You Can Reuse
Keep the structure stable while changing the people, objects, times, or conditions. Pinyin is shown as reading support; use the Chinese sentence and translation to confirm the grammar relationship.
本校下周开始放假。
This school begins its vacation next week.
本人同意以上安排。
I formally agree to the arrangements above.
本市将新建两座公园。
This city will build two new parks.
04 / LIMITS
When to Use It — and When Not To
Use it when
- Refer formally to the present institution: 本校。
- Refer to the current document or event: 本合同、本次会议。
- Use 本人 for a formal self-reference.
Do not use it when
- Do not use it as the classifier 本 for books in this pattern.
- Do not attach 了 to 本.
- Do not stack 本 with 这 before the same noun.
05 / REPAIR
Compare Right and Wrong
Compare the smallest meaningful change. Each explanation identifies a placement, scope, form, or clause relationship instead of treating the whole sentence as one undifferentiated mistake.
本了校下周放假。
本校下周放假。
An aspect particle is attached to the demonstrative
本 is a pre-nominal demonstrative and cannot take the aspect particle 了.
本这次会议很重要。
本次会议很重要。
Two demonstratives are stacked before one noun
本 and 这 cannot both determine the same 次会议 noun phrase.
本了校下周放假。
本 is a pre-nominal demonstrative and cannot take the aspect particle 了.
本这次会议很重要。
本 and 这 cannot both determine the same 次会议 noun phrase.
06 / PRACTICE
Practice the Grammar Point
Complete three short tasks in order: judge the pattern, repair a common error, and build the sentence. Feedback is fixed and reviewed, so these activities do not use a checker allowance.
1. Judge the sentence
2. Choose the correction
3. Build the sentence
Build a complete sentence with 本.
07 / APPLY
Apply It in Your Sentence
Write one original sentence with 本. Your draft moves to the checker through this browser session, selects this grammar point as the first review focus, and waits for you to submit.
08 / QUESTIONS
本: This in Formal Reference Questions
Is 本 always a measure word for books?
No. In formal compounds such as 本校 and 本人, it is a demonstrative meaning this or the present.
Is 本 common in conversation?
It is most common in formal notices, institutions, documents, and official self-reference.
09 / SOURCES
Sources and Review Notes
These references support different parts of the lesson. GF0025-2021 supports level placement only; professional grammar works support the explanation, limits, examples, and cross-checks. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement.
Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (GF0025-2021)
Ministry of Education and State Language Commission · Ministry of Education of the PRC · 2021
Locator: GF0025-2021 Appendix A, Level 6 item 【六03】, 指示代词：本、此
Supports placement in HSK 6; it does not independently establish the usage explanation.
Official sourceA Reference Grammar of Chinese
Huang, Shi and Li · Cambridge University Press · 2022
Locator: Chapter 8, §§8.2–8.3, noun classes, nominal phrases, and the function of DET
Supports demonstratives as pre-nominal determiners and the modifier-before-noun order used by formal 本 compounds.
Official source10 / CONTINUE
Continue with a Connected Rule
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