基因

• Pinyin: jī yīn
• Hanzi breakdown: 基 = 其 + 土 (base); 因 = 口 + 大 (enclosed cause/factor)

Meaning

Gene; the fundamental unit of heredity carrying genetic information from one generation to the next. Also used figuratively for deeply embedded cultural or behavioural traits.

Used in scientific, medical, and popular discourse. Increasingly used metaphorically: 文化基因 (cultural DNA), 创新基因 (innovative genes). Common in discussions of genetics, biology, medicine, and societal values.

Examples

1. 科学家发现了一种与遗传性心脏病相关的变异基因，为早期预防提供了新的可能。 Scientists discovered a variant gene associated with hereditary heart disease, opening up new possibilities for early prevention.
2. 基因编辑技术的快速发展引发了全球范围内广泛的伦理争议与法律讨论。 The rapid development of gene-editing technology has sparked widespread ethical debate and legal discussion around the world.
3. 这家企业的创业精神已成为根植于其文化之中的精神基因，代代相传。 This company’s entrepreneurial spirit has become part of its cultural DNA, passed down from generation to generation.

Usage Guide

Context: science, medicine, culture

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 通过基因检测，医生可以提前识别遗传性疾病的风险，制定个性化的预防和干预方案。(Through genetic testing, doctors can identify risks of hereditary diseases in advance and develop personalised prevention and intervention plans.)
• 科学家们正在积极研究如何利用基因疗法治疗目前尚无有效药物的罕见遗传病。(Scientists are actively researching how to use gene therapy to treat rare hereditary diseases that currently have no effective medications.)

Don't Say

• 他有好基因所以很聪明 — oversimplification; in academic contexts use 遗传因素 (genetic factors) rather than implying direct causal links between specific genes and intelligence

Origin & History

基 (base/foundation) + 因 (cause/factor)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal