What is the Kanji for "Origin"?

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

The Japanese Kanji for "Origin" is "元".

This kanji has 2 readings:

Its kunyomi reading is "Moto".

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 kanji "二" means "Two" and can be read as "Futa" and "Ni". And The radical "儿" means "Legs" .

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

What does the kanji "元" mean in japanese?

"元" means "Origin".

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Second Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N4 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

元気: "Energetic". The Japanese adjective '元気 (げんき)' means 'energetic'. It is used to describe someone or something that is full of life, vigor, and healthy enthusiasm. This word can be applied to people, animals, or even activities. For example: She is a very energetic girl - (彼女はとても元気な女の子です). I feel very energetic today - (今日は元気だ)

元: "Origin". The Japanese noun '元 (もと)' means 'origin'. This word is used to refer to the source, beginning or foundation of something. It can be used to describe the origin of a person, thing, or idea. For example: The originals of these artworks are kept in the museum - (これらの作品のもとは美術館に保管されています). This company was founded on the principles of integrity and transparency - (この企業は誠実さと透明性のもとに設立された).

元々: "Originally". The adverb '元々 (もともと)' means 'originally'. It is used to indicate that something has existed or been the case from the beginning, or that a situation or state of affairs has existed prior to the current point in time. For example: She was originally from Tokyo - (彼女は元々東京出身だった). We planned this trip originally as a family vacation - (私たちはこの旅行を元々家族旅行として計画していた).

元旦: "New Year's Day". The noun '元旦 (がんたん)' refers to New Year's Day, the first day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It is an important occasion in Japanese culture, marked by various traditions and celebrations. For example: New Year's Day is a national holiday in Japan - (元旦は日本の祝日です).

元来: "Originally". The adverb '元来 (がんらい)' means 'originally'. It is used to indicate that something has existed or been the case from the beginning, or that a current situation or state of affairs has existed since the start. It can be used to describe the origins or initial state of a person, object, or situation. For example: I was originally from Tokyo - (私は元来東京出身だった). This problem has existed originally - (この問題は元来存在していた).

元日: "New Year's Day". The Japanese noun '元日 (がんじつ)' refers to the first day of the New Year, which is celebrated as a national holiday in Japan. It is the most important holiday in the Japanese calendar and is celebrated with traditions such as visiting shrines, eating special foods, and spending time with family. For example: Today is New Year's Day - (今日は元日です). We go to the shrine on New Year's Day - (元日に神社に行きます).

お中元: "Gift". The Japanese noun 'お中元 (おちゅうげん)' refers to a seasonal gift given during the summer months, typically in July. It is a customary practice in Japan to give gifts to friends, family, colleagues, and business associates as a way to show appreciation and maintain good relationships. The gifts are often food items such as fruit, sweets, or alcoholic beverages. For example: I received an お中元 from my boss - (上司からお中元をもらいました).

地元: "Hometown". The noun '地元 (じもと)' refers to one's hometown or local area. It is used to describe the place where someone was born and raised, or the area they are most closely associated with. It can imply a strong connection or sense of identity with that particular place. For example: I went back to my hometown for the holidays - (私は休暇に地元に戻りました). The local residents take great pride in their hometown - (地元の人々は地元に強い愛着を持っています).

次元: "Dimension" or "Universe". The Japanese noun '次元 (じげん)' can have two main meanings. The first meaning is 'dimension', referring to a measurable extent of some kind, such as the three spatial dimensions (length, width, depth) or the dimension of time. For example: The painting has depth and dimension - (その絵は奥行きと次元がある). The second meaning of '次元' is 'universe', referring to the entire space-time continuum or a self-contained plane of existence. For example: String theory proposes that there are multiple universes or dimensions - (ひも理論は複数の次元やウニバースを提案している).

足元: "Feet" or "Position". The Japanese noun '足元 (あしもと)' has two main meanings: 1) The area around one's feet or the surface upon which one is standing. For example: Be careful of your feet - (あしもとに注意しなさい). 2) One's current position or circumstances. For example: My financial situation is unstable - (私の足元が不安定だ).

元年: "First year". The noun '元年 (がんねん)' refers to the first year of an era or reign. It is often used to denote the starting point of a new calendar system, imperial reign, or other significant event. For example: The first year of the Meiji era - (明治元年). The first year of the new Emperor's reign - (新天皇の元年).

手元: "Hand". The noun '手元 (てもと)' refers to the area in front of one's hand, or the place where one's hands are located. It is commonly used to describe the area where one is working or handling something. For example: I can't see what I'm doing with these gloves on - (手袋をつけているので手元が見えない). Be careful with the knife, watch your hands - (ナイフを気をつけて、手元に気をつけてください).

紀元: "Era". The Japanese noun '紀元 (きげん)' means 'era'. It refers to a long period of time that is distinguished by some major historical, cultural, or political event or development. '紀元' can be used to describe a specific phase within the history of a country or civilization. For example: The Meiji era - (明治の紀元). This era started with the restoration of imperial rule in Japan in 1868.

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 "も" is read as "mo". And The hiragana "と" is read as "to".

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.