基地
jīdì · HSK 5
base
🏕️ 基 = foundation/base + 地 = ground/land
基 means foundation or basis (think 基础). 地 means ground or land. Together: a foundational piece of land — a base of operations, military base, or home base.
地 — earth 土 + 也 (phonetic)
地 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The left component 土 means 'earth' or 'soil' and gives the meaning, while 也 on the right hints at the pronunciation. Originally referring to the ground or land, it broadened to mean 'place,' 'region,' and 'territory.'