What is the Kanji for "Meadow" and "Original"?

If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for "Meadow" and "Original", you've come to the right place!

The Japanese Kanji for "Meadow" and "Original" is "原".

This kanji has 2 readings:

Its kunyomi reading is "Hara".

Its onyomi reading is "Gen".

kunyomi readings are based on the pronunciation of native Japanese words, and onyomi readings are based on the Chinese pronunciation of the character.

If you visually breakdown this kanji, you can see is made up of 2 parts:

The radical "厂" means "Cliff" . And The kanji "泉" means "Spring" and "Fountain" and can be read as "Sen" and "Izumi".

Now, let's make sure you understand this kanji the other way around too.

What does the kanji "原" mean in japanese?

"原" means "Meadow" and "Original".

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Second Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N3 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

原因: "Cause". The noun '原因 (げんいん)' means 'cause'. It refers to the source or reason that leads to something happening or existing. It can be used to describe what brought about an event, situation, or condition. For example: The main cause of the accident was a flat tire - (事故の主な原因はタイヤのパンクでした). What was the cause of the fire? - (火災の原因は何でしたか?)

原則: "Principle". The Japanese noun '原則 (げんそく)' means 'principle'. It refers to a fundamental rule, law or standard that serves as the basis for action or conduct. It is often used to describe underlying guidelines or policies that guide decision making. For example: We follow the principle of fairness in our company - (会社では公平性の原則に従っています). The principles of democracy - (民主主義の原則)

原理: "Principle". The Japanese noun '原理 (げんり)' means 'principle'. This word refers to a fundamental law, rule, or assumption that serves as the foundation or basis for a system of thought, action, or conduct. '原理' is often used in contexts related to science, philosophy, or the fundamental rules that govern a particular field or domain. For example: The basic principle of physics - (物理学の原理). The principles of democracy - (民主主義の原理).

原稿: "Draft". The Japanese noun '原稿 (げんこう)' means 'draft'. This noun refers to an initial written version of a document, manuscript, or article, before it has been finalized or edited. It is commonly used in the context of writing, such as for a book, newspaper article, or academic paper. For example: The writer is working on the draft of her novel - (作家は小説の原稿を書いている). I need to finish the draft before the deadline - (締め切りまでに原稿を仕上げる必要がある).

原子: "Atom". The Japanese noun '原子 (げんし)' refers to the basic unit of a chemical element which has the smallest possible amount of that element. Atoms are the fundamental building blocks of matter and consist of a nucleus containing protons and neutrons, surrounded by a cloud of electrons. For example: The scientist studied the atom under a microscope - (科学者は顕微鏡で原子を調べた).

原子力: "Atomic power". The noun '原子力 (げんしりょく)' refers to atomic power or nuclear power. It describes the energy generated from the splitting or fusion of atomic nuclei. This power source is used to generate electricity in nuclear power plants. It is a controversial topic due to concerns over nuclear waste and potential accidents. For example: Nuclear power is a major source of electricity - (原子力は主要な電力源である). Nuclear power plants use atomic power to produce electricity - (原子力発電所は原子力を使って電気を作る).

高原: "Plateau". The Japanese noun '高原 (こうげん)' refers to a high, flat area of land that is higher than the surrounding terrain. It is a type of elevated landform that is relatively flat on top. '高原' is often used to describe scenic mountain regions with grassy, level areas. For example: We hiked up to the scenic plateau - (私たちは素晴らしい高原まで歩いて行きました).

原稿用紙: "Manuscript paper". The Japanese noun '原稿用紙 (げんこうようし)' refers to sheets of paper specifically designed for writing manuscripts or drafts. It typically has pre-printed horizontal lines and a vertical line down the middle to help with formatting and structuring written content. This type of paper is commonly used in Japan for writing reports, essays, stories, or any other type of extended written work. For example: I wrote my essay on manuscript paper - (私はエッセイを原稿用紙に書きました).

原料: "Material". The Japanese noun '原料 (げんりょう)' means 'material'. This word refers to the raw or basic substances used to make a product or carry out a process. It can be used in contexts related to manufacturing, cooking, chemistry, and other fields where the starting components are important. For example: The raw materials for making bread are flour, water, and yeast - (パンを作るための原料は小麦粉、水、酵母です). This fabric is made from natural materials - (この生地は天然の原料から作られています).

野原: "Field". The Japanese noun '野原 (のはら)' means 'field'. This word refers to an open area of land, typically covered in grass or other vegetation, and not occupied by buildings or trees. '野原' can be used to describe natural spaces such as meadows, grasslands, or prairies. For example: We went for a walk through the beautiful field - (私たちはきれいな野原を散歩しました).

原: "Field". The Japanese noun '原 (はら)' means 'field'. This word refers to an open area of land, especially one that is grassy or used for agricultural purposes. It can also be used to describe a natural landscape or a geographic region. For example: The farmer works in the field - (農家は原で働いている). The scenic field stretched out for miles - (風景の良い原が数マイルにわたって広がっていた).

原爆: "Atomic bomb". The Japanese noun '原爆 (げんばく)' refers to an 'atomic bomb', a powerful explosive weapon that derives its destructive force from the rapid release of nuclear energy. This term is specifically used to describe the atomic bombs dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. It carries a grave and somber connotation, representing the tremendous devastation and loss of life caused by these nuclear attacks. Example sentences: The atomic bomb destroyed the city - (原爆が街を破壊した). They feared the use of atomic bombs - (彼らは原爆の使用を恐れた).

To make really sure you learn this Kanji, I've prepared an interactive lesson for you. You are going to learn the readings and meanings of this kanji.

But first, you need to know a little bit about Hiragana and Katakana.

Hiragana and katakana are japanese syllabaries, this means that each character represents a syllable.

This are the characters you need to know for this lesson:

The hiragana "げ" is read as "ge". The hiragana "ん" is read as "n". The hiragana "は" is read as "ha". And The hiragana "ら" is read as "ra".

Heres a quick tutorial on how to use it. You'll be asked three type of questions: meaning, reading, and writing.

For meanings questions all you have to do is type the english meaning. If there is more than one meaning, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Reading questions you have to type the reading in romaji (roman letters, our normal alphabet) and it'll be automatically converted to hiragana if necessary. If there is more than one reading, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Writing questions some options will appear and all you have to do is select the correct ones.