本末

Traditional form:

本末

Pinyin (reading):

běnmò

Definitions:

• the whole course of an event from beginning to end
• ins and outs
• the fundamental and the incidental

Characters:

• 本 - root, origin, source; basis
• 末 - end, final, last; insignificant

Traditional characters:

• 本 - root, origin, source; basis
• 末 - end, final, last; insignificant