source, origin

About this kanji

The kanji "源" means "source" or "origin." It is often used as a noun and can also appear in some verb forms. You’ll see it in words like "水源" (すいげん), meaning "water source," referring to the place where a river begins. Another example is "根源" (こんげん), which means "root" or "origin," often used in philosophical contexts to discuss the fundamental source of something. Additionally, "源流" (げんりゅう) refers to "headwaters," the initial part of a river where the water originates. A useful note is that while it primarily denotes a physical source, it can also represent abstract beginnings, such as ideas or concepts.

Built from

Example sentences

• この川の源は山です。

  The source of this river is the mountain.

Meanings across languages

English

source, origin

Tiếng Việt

nguồn, gốc

日本語

源, 起源

한국어

원천, 기원

中文

源头, 起源

id

sumber, asal

th

แหล่งที่มา, ต้นกำเนิด

es

fuente, origen

fr

source, origine

de

Quelle, Ursprung

pt

fonte, origem

Common compounds

• 水源すいげんwater source
• 根源こんげんroot, source
• 源流げんりゅうheadwaters, source stream