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Kanji Detail for 元 - "origin, first, source"

元

  • Meaning

    元 means "origin, first, source."

    1. Origin - Root; source; the basis of things.

    2. Beginning - Start; first; primary.

    3. Head - The head.

    4. Chief - Leader.

    5. People - Populace; citizens.

    6. Era name - Example

    7. Dynasty name - The name of a Chinese dynasty.

    8. Currency unit - A unit of Chinese currency.

  • Dictionary Citations

    The meaning above is based on the following sources:

    KANJIDIC2 A comprehensive Japanese-English kanji dictionary

    beginning; former time; origin

    Unihan Unicode Han Database for CJK characters

    first; dollar; origin; head

    CC-CEDICT A Chinese-English dictionary

    surname Yuan; Yuan dynasty (1279–1368)

    Make Me a Hanzi Open-source Chinese character data

    first; dollar; origin; head

    XSZD Xuéshēng Zìdiǎn (學生字典) - Student's Dictionary

    Beginning. When a ruler first ascends the throne, it's called 元年 (first year). Later generations' calendars are linked to era names. The first year of changing the era name is also called 元. Hence changing the era name is called 改元; recording years is called 紀元. The beginning of numbers is often called 元. Such as the first month is called 元月, the first day is called 元日. | Great. Such as 元老 (elder statesman). Constitutional countries have a Senate (元老院) for those of high position and prestige. | Head; chief. (Mencius) "A brave warrior doesn't forget that he may lose his head." Hence a nation's representative is called 元首. All who are first are called 元. Such as in the imperial examination era, 狀元 (top scholar), 會元 (top graduate). | Common people are called 元元. Hence the masses are also called 黎元. | Daoists consider heaven, earth, and water as the Three Primes (三元), meaning the primordial. Also, in the lunar calendar, the 15th of the first month is 上元, the 15th of the seventh month is 中元, the 15th of the tenth month is 下元, called the Three Prime Days. In astrology, sixty years is one 元, such as 上元甲子, 下元甲子. | A dynasty name. The Mongol Taizu Temujin rose from the desert. His descendants continued, conquering Asia and eastern Europe. Shizu Kublai Khan established the dynastic name Yuan, soon destroyed Song and ruled China (1277 CE). There were ten emperors over ninety-two years. It fell to Ming. | Colloquially borrowed as 圓 (round). Such as 銀元 (silver dollar), 銅元 (copper coin).
  • Onyomitip

    gan(がん) がん

    gen(げん) げん

  • Kunyomitip

    haji.me(はじめ) はじめ

    moto(もと) もと

  • Strokestip

    4 strokes

  • Radicaltip

    儿 (ninnyo・hitoashi)

  • Related Keywords
    origin source root beginning first original primary base foundation fundamental former previous element unit yuan currency era dynasty head chief

Sentences including 元

  • This is all the money i have.

  • He looked well.

  • The home team won.

  • She looked better than last time.

  • He looks well.

  • She was a strong , fast runner then.

  • I was a healthy child.

  • I haven't my dictionary at hand.

  • How is your family?

  • We had five dollars left between us.

Sentences from Japanese classical masterpieces

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