本来 (běn lái)

Character breakdown

• 本 (běn) · 5 strokes

  Addition of a horizontal line toward the bottom of 木 (tree) to represent the roots of the tree.

• 来 (lái) · 7 strokes

  Simplified form of 來. Pictograph of a stalk of wheat. The current meaning "come" is a phonetic loan. The original meaning "wheat" is now written as 麥.