adj. (Hira=ほん) main, principal, head, chief

pron. (Trad=本, Pinyin=ben3) this

n. (Trad=本, Pinyin=ben3) origin, source, root, roots of plant, foundation, basis

adj. (Trad=本, Pinyin=ben3) undergraduate

pron. (Simp=本, Pinyin=ben3) this

n. (Simp=本, Pinyin=ben3) origin, source, root, roots of plant, foundation, basis

adj. (Simp=本, Pinyin=ben3) undergraduate

[本] (1) an example; a model; a pattern
(2) family origin
(3) principal; capital

[本] (1) the main [chief, principal]
(2) the present [current]
(3) the real [regular, full-scale]

[本-] model after a pattern

she3 ben3 zhu2 mo4
Going after the trifles and neglecting the essential.
To deceive oneself. The cat shuts its eyes when stealing cream. Compare with 盲人摸象 (mang2 ren2 mo1 xiang4) and 井底之蛙 (jing3 di3 zhi1 wa1).